On Monday, the United Nations security council postponed the vote calling for the Gaza ceasefire in New York to give diplomats more time to meet US objections to the wording of the draft resolution.
The US was among the ten nations to oppose a UN General Assembly resolution demanding a ceasefire for the Israel-Hamas war.
UN Postpones Vote Calling for Gaza Ceasefire
A general view shows voting results during a United Nations General Assembly meeting to vote on a non-binding resolution demanding "an immediate humanitarian ceasefire" in Gaza at UN headquarters in New York on December 12, 2023.
The US claimed it could not support a reference to a cessation of hostilities. However, the country might acknowledge a call for a suspension of hostilities.
The Arab countries have been negotiating through a text and said they had been encouraged to see that the White House was trying to find wording that could support the resolutions. The US adopted the position on the call for a humanitarian pause on October 18 and an immediate ceasefire on December 9.
There have been growing divisions within the US administration. Some officials claimed that the US misjudges the extent of disillusionment in the Global South over US perceived hypocrisy in denouncing Russian war crimes in Ukraine.
However, they were also finding a list of excuses for the widespread murder of Palestinians in Gaza.
A range of US diplomats visited Jerusalem to encourage the Israeli government to adopt different military strategies. The US would be frustrated with the Israeli government if methods resulted in limited success and support for a suspension of hostilities at the UN.
Furthermore, the US has also previously rejected cessation of hostilities resolutions at the 15-strong security council due to the absence of clear criticism of Hamas for killing thousands of Israelis. United Arab Emirates draft condemned all acts of terrorism and called for the release of the hostages.
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US Blocks Resolution
On December 12, the UN voted by 153 to 10 with 23 abstentions to call for an urgent cessation of hostilities. However, the US' position on the pledge came after American representatives blocked an earlier resolution at the security council.
US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield said the US recognizes the horrible humanitarian crisis in Gaza. However, they said that Hamas still disregarded an earlier agreement that allowed for a ceasefire in the conflict.
"Look, there is no shortage of rhetoric here in New York, but it's the diplomacy the United States is engaging in on the ground that made that week-long pause possible," she said.
Over 100 hostages were released by Hamas during the weeklong pause in fighting.
Thomas-Greenfield failed to get the General Assembly to change the resolution to denounce Hamas' actions on October 7, which killed 1,200 people and resulted in around 240 people being held captive.
In response to the attack, Israel retaliated and launched a military campaign that has killed nearly 18,000 Palestinians in Gaza.
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