War in Gaza: at the UN, Russian and Chinese veto the American resolution for a ceasefire

In New York, the UN Security Council has just met with on the agenda the examination of a new resolution of American origin with a view to achieving a truce in the Gaza Strip. While the United States had already vetoed texts of the same type twice, this time, it was the Russians and the Chinese who vetoed the resolution presented by the United States.

Israel's Ambassador to the UN, Gilad Erdan (left) during a UN Security Council vote on a ceasefire in Gaza, March 22, 2024. AFP - ANGELA WEISS

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The cynicism and dissension of the permanent members of the Security Council were unfortunately once again in full force, says RFI correspondent in New York,

Carrie Nooten

, despite the extremely worrying situation of the Gazans. Russia

and

China , for several days

,

had made it clear: there was no question of letting a ceasefire demanded by the

United States

pass , while the latter had blocked most diplomatic initiatives for five months and half.

Basically, Washington put to the vote a text deemed too convoluted. The call for a ceasefire demanded by Anthony Blinken in the media is not as clear in the resolution, which has weaknesses. This is what Moscow thinks, but so do other members, including, surprisingly, Algeria,

which

represents the Arab world on the Security Council and voted against this resolution.

The ambassador said it did not carry a clear message of peace, that it was a free pass to allow the attack on Rafah and continued civilian casualties. Just before, the American ambassador had explained that these

vetoes

would give Hamas an excuse to stop negotiations on the ground. 

Also read: The United States calls for a ceasefire in Gaza: “It is not an extremely binding resolution”

The American Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, is, for his part, in Israel this Friday, March 22. He

notably met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and

tried to dissuade him from launching a major offensive on the city of Rafah. “ 

I said that we did not have the possibility of defeating Hamas without entering Rafah and eliminating the battalions that remain there. I told him that I hoped to do it with the support of the United States, but if necessary, we will do it alone,

” said Benyamin Netanyahu after his meeting with the American official. 

For its part, France said it wanted to find “

an agreement

” at the UN Security Council on the basis of a French text. The French head of state, following a European summit in Brussels, declared that he had “

a draft resolution

”. “

I think that this project, if it is, as we have started to do, worked with several regional partners, in particular from the Arab world, can lift the vetoes which were expressed on the American proposal

,” continued Emmanuel Macron , citing Jordan and the United Arab Emirates as partners.

Read alsoWar in Gaza: despite the reorientation of their strategy, the American resolution fails at the UN

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