Photo credit: © Ted Eytan
The UN Security Council adopted its first ceasefire resolution concerning the Israel-Hamas conflict on March 25. Fourteen members of the UNSC voted in favour of the resolution, which demanded a lasting and immediate ceasefire in Gaza. The United States was the only nation state to abstain, with no UNSC power vetoing the resolution.
Part of the US reasoning for abstention included a failure by the Council to include a clause condemning Hamas. This decision, nonetheless, is a significant change in the US stance on attempts to achieve a ceasefire in the Gaza conflict since its outbreak on October 7, 2023.
The US has maintained its support of Israel by exercising its veto power routinely on past resolutions condemning Israel’s actions or proposing decisions that it regards as detrimental to Israel’s interests. Its abstention in the current matter comes as the humanitarian crisis in Gaza has escalated to critical levels, and clear violations of human rights have been committed by all parties involved. The Hamas-run health ministry has most recently reported the Gaza death toll nears 33,000, with those left in Gaza facing famine-level hunger, inadequate shelter, and a lack of basic medicine.
How has Israel responded to the move?
Following the March 25 vote, Benjamin Netanyahu’s office criticised the US for harming the Israeli war effort, citing the move was a ‘clear retreat’ from its previous position.
The decision, which made the vote near-unanimous, may signify a weakening of US support in light of the international condemnation Israel has faced for its operations in Gaza. However, it is compelling to consider the abstention as part of an ongoing failure by the US to hold Israel to account. In fact, its abstention signals the absence of a desire to respond to international pressure to condemn Israel.
According to Reuter, the US has most recently authorised a new arms package which includes more than 1,800 MK84 2,000-pound bombs and 500 MK82 500-pound bombs. This is atop the annual $3.3 billion USD funding of the Israeli military. Such ongoing arms support for the Israeli war effort evidences US reluctance to use its influence over Israel to alleviate the consequences of the conflict, including withholding military aid.
Rather, without the US firmly applying pressure on the Israeli government to alter its course of action, it can be expected that peace will not be realised for some time yet. US abstention merely indicates a willingness to enable hostilities in Gaza.