On February 20, local time, the United Nations Security Council voted on a draft resolution proposed by Algeria on behalf of the Arab countries calling for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza. The draft resolution was not adopted due to the exclusive veto of the United States.
Zhang Jun, China's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, voted in favor of the vote and made an explanatory speech to elaborate on China's position. Zhang Jun said that China expressed strong disappointment and dissatisfaction with the veto of the draft by the United States. The draft resolution proposed by Algeria on behalf of Arab countries calls for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, the immediate release of all hostages, ensuring access to humanitarian supplies, and opposing forced transfers. This is not only an urgent need of the situation, but also based on the minimum requirements of humanity. It should be supported by all members of the Security Council support. The voting results clearly show that on the issue of ceasefire and war in Gaza, it is not that the Security Council does not have an overwhelming consensus, but that the United States has used its veto power to kill the Security Council consensus. The US veto sent the wrong signal and pushed the situation in Gaza into a more dangerous situation.
Zhang Jun said that the U.S. claim that the Security Council resolution will interfere with ongoing diplomatic efforts is completely untenable. Under the current circumstances, remaining passive and evasive on the issue of an immediate ceasefire is tantamount to giving a green light to continue killing. Conflict spillover is destabilizing the entire Middle East, and the risk of wider war is rising. The Security Council must take action as soon as possible to prevent this catastrophe in the Middle East. The Security Council must respond forcefully to the serious violations of international law and international humanitarian law in the Gaza conflict to safeguard the authority of the international rule of law. The Security Council must take action to promote the realization of a ceasefire. This is a moral obligation that the Security Council cannot refuse, a legal responsibility that the Security Council must bear, and a political requirement for the Security Council to fulfill the United Nations Charter.
Zhang Jun emphasized that the veto cannot cover up the strong call for a ceasefire and an end to the war, and the Security Council will not stop its efforts to safeguard justice and perform its duties. China urges Israel to listen to the call of the international community, cancel its attack plan on Rafah, and stop collective punishment of the Palestinian people. We hope that countries with important influence will have less political calculations, truly uphold a fair and responsible attitude, and make the right choice to promote the ceasefire in Gaza. We call on the international community to pool all diplomatic efforts to give the people of Gaza a chance to live, to give the people of the entire Middle East a chance to have peace, and to give a chance for justice.
In this vote, the draft resolution proposed by Algeria received 13 votes in favor, including China, while the United Kingdom abstained from voting. Since a new round of large-scale conflicts between Palestine and Israel broke out in October 2023, Israel's military operations in Gaza have resulted in the deaths of nearly 30,000 civilians. The international community has formed an overwhelming call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, but the United Nations Security Council's draft resolution calling for a ceasefire has been blocked by the United States many times. This is the fourth time that the United States has exercised its veto power on the Gaza ceasefire issue, after vetoing a draft resolution proposed by Brazil in October last year, and a draft resolution proposed by the United Arab Emirates and an amendment proposed by Russia in December. (CCTV reporter Xu Dezhi)