US stance paralyzes UN Security Council in Gaza crisis: Russia

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
14 Nov 2023 09:02
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Russia underlines that the United States is stonewalling any talks for a ceasefire in Gaza as the aggression against Palestinian civilians continues.

A Palestinian mother with her little daughter sits near destroyed houses following a strike in Rafah on the southern Gaza Strip on November 6, 2023. (AFP via Getty Images)

The Russian Foreign Ministry accused the US of using its veto power in the UN Security Council to hinder international efforts to end the bloodshed in Gaza.

The ministry stated that all UN representatives jointly called for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire, but the Security Council is paralyzed due to the US position.

"All UN representatives have been jointly calling for an 'immediate humanitarian ceasefire', which would end this inhumane collective punishment, the suffering of children, women, and the elderly," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement on its website.

"However, the Security Council can’t execute its direct mandate and remains paralyzed thanks to the position of a single country – the US," it added.

The UN failed on Gaza with three US vetos

Blaming the US policy on Gaza for the ongoing escalation and its blocking of peace initiatives, Russian Ambassador to the United Nations Vassily Nebenzia said, "Washington’s blocking of peace initiatives for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip at this point and its one-sided policy of the past few years, aimed at preserving the status quo (which is what they [the Americans] said), as well as it’s so-called quiet diplomacy, in fact were nothing but an unwillingness to implement what countries and nations had agreed on."

"The lack of any progress in the negotiation process was sure to lead to an escalation," he added, stressing that "this in turn may trigger an expansion of the conflict and fuel other potential and simmering conflicts in the region."

The Russian envoy stressed that resolving the Israeli-Palestinian struggle "should in no way involve attempts to drive the Palestinian people from their homeland." A real solution to this "long-standing issue" should be based on international law, Nebenzia concluded.

It is worth noting that the US and its allies vetoed three resolutions for a ceasefire, while Russia and China voted against a US-sponsored resolution. The US proposed humanitarian pauses, claiming that a comprehensive ceasefire would benefit Hamas.

So far, more than 11,240 Palestinians, including at least 4,630 children, have reportedly been killed by Israeli strikes since October 7, with concerns raised about the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza.