The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is composed of five permanent members with the powerful veto authority, namely the United States, Russia, France, China, and the United Kingdom. Such a power lets any of these nations block a resolution irrespective of its ethical merits or relevance. The veto has frequently become a tool for these nations to safeguard their interests and alliances, both in war and peacetime situations.
It is worth noting that the U.S. has consistently employed its veto prerogative to shield Israel, even in scenarios involving critical humanitarian issues in its dealings with Palestine. The ongoing Gaza war and Israel’s genocide accusations brought before the International Court of Justice underscore the urgency for reform within the United Nations. The dominance of veto powers inherent to some nations over majority-voted resolutions must be seriously questioned.
The persistent genocidal violence in Gaza reaffirms the vitality of overhauling the Security Council’s makeup. This proposition advocates for a more democratic voting system, akin to U.N. General Assembly’s practice where each country is allocated one vote, and the majority carries the day.
On February 20, 2024, the United States, once again, utilized its veto power to reject a draft Security Council resolution on the Gaza warfare, causing an outcry among both opposition and allies. This marked the third consecutive instance of the U.S. quashing a Security Council resolution calling for cease-fire in Gaza. Prior to this action, the U.S. had proposed for a temporary cease-fire conditioned on the release of all Israeli detainees in the Palestinian territory.
The draft found unanimous support among the council, with the U.K. choosing to abstain, reflecting the global unanimity in resolving the ongoing violence that has claimed upwards of 29,000 Palestinian lives.
Recriminations from the international community swiftly followed the U.S. veto, highlighting the enablement of Israel to perpetuate the massacre of thousands of Palestinian civilians, including women, children, and the elderly.
China’s U.N. ambassador, Zhang Jun communicated ‘grave disappointment and dissatisfaction’ at the U.S. veto. The disapproval of a Gaza ceasefire is equated with supporting the continuous slaughter, Zhang avowed.
Russian Ambassador to the U.N., Vasily Nebenzia, labeled the U.S. action as ‘another dark chapter in the Security Council’s history.’ He reproached the U.S. of seeking to buy time for Israel to fulfill its agenda for Gaza, which is the systematic displacement and ethnic cleansing of Palestinians.
Algeria’s representative also expressed disappointment at the Security Council’s repeated failure, cautioning that such decisions could fuel instability in the Middle East. Amar Bendjama emphasized the global community’s urgent need to respond to the escalating violence in Palestine and prompt an immediate cease-fire.
The questions that remain are how far will the U.S. extend its support for Israel, why the U.S. endorses a regime widely accused of genocide, and what the risk is that the Gaza conflict could possibly escalate, resulting in further regional insecurity and loss of life.