The United States was forced to veto a Kuwait-drafted U.N. Security Council resolution that sought to condemn Israel’s use of force against Palestinian protesters along the Gaza Strip’s border fence, in what U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley called a “grossly one-sided view” that failed to blame Hamas for the recent violence.
“The resolution offered by Kuwait represents a grossly one-sided view of what is taking place in Gaza in recent weeks. Anyone who cares about the peace process should vote against it. But make no mistake, regardless of how others choose to vote, the United States will oppose this resolution, and we will veto it if we must. The terrorist group Hamas bares primary responsibility for the awful living conditions in Gaza,” Nikki Haley, United States Ambassador to the U.N. said.
The Ambassador of Kuwait, who last week voiced his support for Hamas’ violence against Israel, calling its rocket-fire toward Israel’s southern communities “legitimate resistance;” criticized the council for failing to adopt the condemning resolution of Israel – asserting its vital necessity in protecting the Palestinian people.
“We deplore that the council failed to adopt the draft resolution which stipulates that protection should be provided to the Palestinians. The last few days proved that they are in dire need in the tragic situation they live in. To move our conscience to provide the protection they need in the face of the massacres by Israel, the occupying power,” Kuwaiti Ambassador to the U.N. Monsieur Al-Otaibi said.
Out of the council’s 15 members, 10 voted in favor, including France, and only the United States voted against. There were four abstentions, however, including Great Britain, which stressed the need to condemn all sides responsible for the violence along the Gaza-Israel border-fence.
“We condemn Hamas, but at the same time we regret that the American text does not adequately reference Israel’s responsibility and obligations with regard to Gaza,” British Ambassador to the U.N. Karen Pierce said.