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Egypt Independent
5 days ago
- Politics
- Egypt Independent
US vetoes UN Security Council resolution demanding Gaza ceasefire
CNN — The United States on Wednesday vetoed a UN Security Council resolution calling for an 'immediate, unconditional and permanent' ceasefire The United States on Wednesday vetoed a UN Security Council resolution calling for an 'immediate, unconditional and permanent' ceasefire between Israel and the militant group Hamas in Gaza. The US was the only nation to oppose the resolution. Fourteen others, including the United Kingdom, voted in favor. There were no abstentions. Dorothy Camille Shea, the United States ambassador to the UN, said the US opposed the resolution because it did not call for Hamas to disarm and leave Gaza. '(The resolution) is unacceptable for what it does say, it is unacceptable for what it does not say, and it is unacceptable for the manner in which it has been advanced,' she said in comments before the vote took place. The US 'has taken the very clear position since this conflict began that Israel has a right to defend itself, which includes defeating Hamas and ensuring they are never again in a position to threaten Israel. In this regard, any product that undermines our close ally Israel's security is a nonstarter,' she added. This is not the first time the US has vetoed a UN Security Council draft resolution on Gaza. In November 2024, it vetoed one calling for an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire, on the grounds it would not have secured the release of hostages. The United Kingdom said it 'regrets' that the latest resolution 'was unable to reach a consensus.' 'The United Kingdom voted in favor of this resolution today because of the intolerable situation in Gaza,' the UK's Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York Barbara Woodward said following the vote. 'We are determined to see an end to this war, secure the release of the hostages held by Hamas and alleviate the catastrophic humanitarian situation for Palestinians in Gaza,' she added. Palestinians gather to receive a hot meal at a food distribution point at a refugee camp in central Gaza on May 21. Eyad Baba/AFP/Getty Images Woodward described Israel's expansion of its military operations in Gaza and its severe restrictions on aid as 'unjustifiable, disproportionate, and counterproductive.' Israel in mid May launched a major new offensive in Gaza it says is aimed at destroying Hamas and freeing hostages, sparking condemnation from the United Nations and aid organizations who warn civilians are bearing the brunt of the expanded assault. The ambassador also said the UK condemned Hamas' October 7, 2023, attack on Israel and demanded the militant group release all the hostages 'immediately and unconditionally,' saying 'Hamas can have no role in the future governance of Gaza.' The ambassador also restated the UK's position that 'a two-state solution is the only way to bring the long-lasting peace, stability and security that both Israelis and Palestinians deserve.' Meanwhile, Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar thanked US President Donald Trump and the US administration 'for standing shoulder to shoulder with Israel and vetoing this one-sided resolution in the UN Security Council.' Protesters in Tel Aviv on May 24 demand the release of Israeli hostages kidnapped during the deadly October 7, 2023, attack on Israel by Hamas. Nir Elias/Reuters 'The proposed resolution only strengthens Hamas and undermines American efforts to achieve a hostage deal,' he added in a post on X shortly after the voting. The draft text had demanded 'an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire in Gaza respected by all parties' and the 'immediate and unconditional lifting of all restrictions on the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza and its safe and unhindered distribution at scale.' It also demanded 'the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages held by Hamas and other groups.' Israel launched the war in Gaza after Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups carried out a surprise attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking 251 hostages. It was the deadliest terror attack in Israel's history. The Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza said the number of people killed by Israel's offensive in Gaza in the wake of the October 7 attacks now exceeds 54,000, most of whom are women and children.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
US vetoes UN Security Council resolution demanding Gaza ceasefire
The United States on Wednesday vetoed a UN Security Council resolution calling for an 'immediate, unconditional and permanent' ceasefire between Israel and the militant group Hamas in Gaza. The US was the only nation to oppose the resolution. Fourteen others, including the United Kingdom, voted in favor. There were no abstentions. Dorothy Camille Shea, the United States ambassador to the UN, said the US opposed the resolution because it did not call for Hamas to disarm and leave Gaza. '(The resolution) is unacceptable for what it does say, it is unacceptable for what it does not say, and it is unacceptable for the manner in which it has been advanced,' she said in comments before the vote took place. The US 'has taken the very clear position since this conflict began that Israel has a right to defend itself, which includes defeating Hamas and ensuring they are never again in a position to threaten Israel. In this regard, any product that undermines our close ally Israel's security is a nonstarter,' she added. This is not the first time the US has vetoed a UN Security Council draft resolution on Gaza. In November 2024, it vetoed one calling for an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire, on the grounds it would not have secured the release of hostages. The United Kingdom said it 'regrets' that the latest resolution 'was unable to reach a consensus.' 'The United Kingdom voted in favor of this resolution today because of the intolerable situation in Gaza,' the UK's Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York Barbara Woodward said following the vote. 'We are determined to see an end to this war, secure the release of the hostages held by Hamas and alleviate the catastrophic humanitarian situation for Palestinians in Gaza,' she added. Woodward described Israel's expansion of its military operations in Gaza and its severe restrictions on aid as 'unjustifiable, disproportionate, and counterproductive.' Israel in mid May launched a major new offensive in Gaza it says is aimed at destroying Hamas and freeing hostages, sparking condemnation from the United Nations and aid organizations who warn civilians are bearing the brunt of the expanded assault. The ambassador also said the UK condemned Hamas' October 7, 2023, attack on Israel and demanded the militant group release all the hostages 'immediately and unconditionally,' saying 'Hamas can have no role in the future governance of Gaza.' The ambassador also restated the UK's position that 'a two-state solution is the only way to bring the long-lasting peace, stability and security that both Israelis and Palestinians deserve.' Meanwhile, Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar thanked US President Donald Trump and the US administration 'for standing shoulder to shoulder with Israel and vetoing this one-sided resolution in the UN Security Council.' 'The proposed resolution only strengthens Hamas and undermines American efforts to achieve a hostage deal,' he added in a post on X shortly after the voting. The draft text had demanded 'an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire in Gaza respected by all parties' and the 'immediate and unconditional lifting of all restrictions on the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza and its safe and unhindered distribution at scale.' It also demanded 'the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages held by Hamas and other groups.' Israel launched the war in Gaza after Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups carried out a surprise attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking 251 hostages. It was the deadliest terror attack in Israel's history. The Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza said the number of people killed by Israel's offensive in Gaza in the wake of the October 7 attacks now exceeds 54,000, most of whom are women and children.
Int'l Business Times
21-04-2025
- Politics
- Int'l Business Times
Trump Admin Signals Cut to Haiti Aid as Country Teeters on Brink of Collapse: 'We Are Approaching a Point Of No Return'
The Trump administration signaled willingness to cut aid to Haiti as the country teeters in the brink of collapse, with gangs attempting to overthrow the provisional government and controlling most of the capital. "America cannot continue shouldering such a significant burden," said Dorothy Camille Shea, interim chargé d'affaires at the U.S. mission at the UN. Shea then requested other countries to increase their support for the Caribbean country, going through a deep crisis that has no perspective of improving. Maria Isabel Salvador, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres' special representative in Haiti, told the Security Council that the situation on the ground is increasingly critical as gangs move onto the few areas in Port-au-Prince that are not under their control. "We are approaching a point of no return. As gang violence continues to spread to new areas of the country, Haitians experience growing levels of vulnerability and increasing skepticism about the ability of the state to respond to their needs," Salvador said. "Without timely, decisive and concrete international assistance, the security situation in Haiti may not change... Haiti could face total chaos and any delay in your support could be a direct cause of such stark deterioration," she added. The warning comes days after reports that a coalition of gangs led by Viv Ansamn are planning coordinated attacks across multiple regions. Concerns are also growing about the safety of strategic infrastructure. Local authorities have issued warnings about potential attacks on Hinche and the Péligre dam, the country's main source of electricity, the Miami Herald reported. Haitian police, outgunned and outnumbered, have struggled to contain the armed groups, while a Kenya-led international police deployment has faced delays and logistical challenges. In this context, the country's transitional presidential council has begun enlisting members of a paramilitary group that sought to stage a coup to assist security forces. Originally published on Latin Times
Miami Herald
21-04-2025
- Politics
- Miami Herald
U.S. says it can't keep ‘shouldering such a significant financial burden' in Haiti crisis
The Trump administration gave its strongest signal yet Monday on its thinking in regard to Haiti as the country spirals deeper into gang-fueled chaos and its capital stands on the precipice of being fully under gang control. 'America cannot continue shouldering such a significant financial burden,' said Dorothy Camille Shea, interim chargé d'affaires at the United States' mission at the United Nations. Shea called on others in the international community to increase support for the response to Haiti's rapidly deteriorating situation, which is triggering one of the worst humanitarian crisis in the hemisphere at a moment when Washington is cutting back on foreign assistance. Her appeal and comments on where the United States stands after the previous administration pumped more than $600 million to support the U.N.-authorized Multinational Security Support mission, led by Kenya, comes amid growing uncertainty over the force's future and widespread agreement that Port-au-Prince is at imminent risk of being overtaken by criminal gangs. U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres' special representative in Haiti, Maria Isabel Salvador, told the Security Council that the escalating armed attacks are affecting the few remaining areas in the capital not under gang control and sowing panic as new cities outside of the western region also fall to the gangs. 'Stepping up international support for Haiti is more critical than ever, particularly through increased funding and operational capacity for the Multinational Security Support Mission,' Salvador said. 'Haiti has reached a pivotal moment…. We are approaching a point of no return. As gang violence continues to spread to new areas of the country, Haitians experience growing levels of vulnerability and increasing skepticism about the ability of the state to respond to their needs,' she added. 'Without timely, decisive and concrete international assistance, the security situation in Haiti may not change….Haiti could face total chaos and any delay in your support could be a direct cause of such stark deterioration.' Earlier this year, Guterres nixed deploying a formal U.N. peacekeeping mission to Haiti, saying there is no peace to keep in the current chaos. Instead, he endorsed maintaining the current Kenya mission with the U.N. picking up some of the costs but the funding still coming from voluntary contributions from foreign governments. But during Monday's update on the situation in Haiti, diplomats acknowledged that nothing has happened despite the urgency of the situation and concerns about the escalating violence, which has led to growing hunger, more displacements and a staggering increase in sexual violence against women and girls. In addition to the ongoing gang attacks, there are a number of critical expenses that need funding, sources tell the Miami Herald. They include the salaries of the roughly 1,000 menbers of the international force, and a $200 million payment to the contractor operating its base of operations. The contract was extended until September by the Biden administration, and operator must be notified months in advance if payment will be forthcoming for the next six months. The time for condemnation is over, Denmark's representative, Christina Markus Lassen, said. 'Haiti is running out of time. Armed gangs continue to expand their arsenals and territory,' she said, echoing the calls of several other representatives for greater involvement. What that involvement would look or how it would be funded remain in question. The voluntary contributions to the U.N. trust fund for the Kenya-led remains at $110 million, which the East African nation's national security minister, Monica Juma, made clear isn't enough. 'What the mission needs is to be fully deployed, quickly enabled; an urgent expansion... is therefore essential in order to deliver the intended impact and meet the legitimate high expectations of the Haitian people,' she said speaking by video to the room. 'In Kenya today, a total of 261 officers remain on standby for deployment, but are unable to get to theater because of a lack of equipment and logistic support.' Nearly a year into its deployment, the force remains at less than 40% at its stated goal of 2,500 security personnel, Juma said. The most stinging repute came from China, which accused the U.S of abandoning Haiti at a dire moment after helping set up its ruling transitional presidential council, now mired in controversy and credibility issues. 'The U.S. has always been the de facto leader on security matters in Haiti,' China's deputy representative, Geng Shuang, said, highlighting the current administration's minimal contribution to the mission since coming into office in January and its recent imposition of a 10% tariff on Haiti, 'a nation on the edge of collapse.' Critics have noted that China, which is a significant financial contributor to the U.N., doesn't want to pay for a peacekeeping mission. Along with Russia, another vocal critic of the U.S., Beijing has not contributed to the trust fund for the mission. Geng said Washington is trying to pass the buck on Haiti, using 'member states as little more than an ATM machine.' 'The U.S is a major source of interference in Haiti's development,' Beijing's ambassador said. 'While it claims to support the Haitian people, it has significantly cut foreign aid and continue deporting Haitian immigrants on the national priorities precisely when Haiti is in dire need of support,'
Telegraph
25-02-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
Was this the day the UN died?
Nothing could be simpler than the procedure for casting a vote in the United Nations Security Council. Fifteen ambassadors gather around a horseshoe table, beneath a mural of a phoenix escaping the ashes, and raise their hands like obedient pupils. Until Donald Trump regained the White House, the easiest duty of America's representative was to vote alongside Britain and France to denounce Russia's invasion of Ukraine as exactly the kind of bloodsoaked tragedy which the UN was created to prevent. But no longer. When the Security Council marked the third anniversary of the onslaught on Monday, there was stunned silence in the chamber as America's acting ambassador, Dorothy Camille Shea, raised her hand not with her allies but with Russia and China, supporting a perfunctory three-paragraph Resolution devoid of any condemnation of the Kremlin, as if Ukraine's calamity was a natural disaster for which no-one could be blamed. Britain and France, abandoned by their companion, were left to abstain. Next door in the UN General Assembly, America's behaviour was still more extraordinary. A roll-call of US allies, ranging from Australia to Japan and a raft of Nato members, including Britain and France, co-sponsored a Resolution denouncing the 'devastating and long-lasting consequences' of Russia's aggression against Ukraine. Faced with a carefully drafted text, designed to reflect the founding principles of the UN as expressed by its Charter, even China and Iran decided to abstain rather than oppose. And America? Suddenly the red lights on the membership board disclosed how Washington had lined up not just with Russia but with North Korea and Belarus to vote against. Previous resolutions on Ukraine have passed the General Assembly by thumping majorities, causing delegates to break into applause. On five previous occasions since 2022, about three-quarters of the entire membership voted to condemn the invasion, with Russia's supporters reduced to the fingers of one hand. Yet on Monday, America joined their number and the latest resolution limped through with only 93 countries in favour – down from 141 in 2023. The scenes at the UN Secretariat building in New York are visible proof of Trump's transformation of US policy towards Ukraine. But was this a tactical move designed to maximise the chances of securing a peace agreement between Russia and its neighbour? Or does this episode betray something deeper: that America has turned its foreign policy upside down and joined the countries striving to destroy the post-1945 international order and wreck the organisation symbolising its principles? American diplomats who spent their careers voting alongside allies and against the likes of Russia and North Korea reacted with incredulity. 'Even Cuba abstained on the resolution denouncing Russia's invasion of Ukraine,' noted Michael McFaul, a former US ambassador to Russia. He added that America's decision to side with 'rogue states' was 'humiliating' for Marco Rubio, the new US secretary of state. As for the official explanation for this decision, the American representative assured the Security Council that peace was the only goal. 'Rhetorical rivalries in New York may make diplomats feel vindicated, but it will not save souls on the battlefield,' said Shea. But a close look at the Resolution that America voted against suggests that the Trump Administration was also opposing the foundational principles of the UN, casting a shadow over the organisation's future. The Resolution emphasises the 'obligation of all States…to refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force' and to settle any 'international disputes by peaceful means'. This carefully mirrors Article 2 of the UN Charter which states: 'All Members shall settle their international disputes by peaceful means in such a manner that international peace and security, and justice, are not endangered.' The Resolution also reaffirms the 'sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of Ukraine', a passage that was clearly drafted to reflect the Charter's 'principle of the sovereign equality of all its Members'. All of which raises the question: can America be against the text but still, somehow, in favour of the UN Charter? And if America, which did more than any other nation to found the UN, has turned implacably against its creation, how can the institution expect to survive? A recently retired and newly downcast American official, Jim Townsend, formerly deputy assistant secretary for NATO, told the BBC that the Trump administration's decision had been 'shameful', adding: 'I can't think of any other word… it stunned this town.' He said: 'It's just something that we never thought we'd see: this day… I can assure you my colleagues inside the government were saying the same thing.' But unusual scenes can be over-interpreted. Did president Trump read the draft resolution, compare it to the Charter, and decide to oppose it anyway as a calculated assault on the principles of the UN? A simpler theory is that he seeks peace in Ukraine and is determined that nothing should stand in the way. Jeremy Hunt, the former foreign secretary, says this is the most likely explanation. 'Trump is trying to get Russia to sign a peace deal with Ukraine – that's all he cares about. If he can make that more likely with a vote in the UN, then that's what he'll do. It's purely a tactical move,' he argues. Even so, this is one tactical move that no previous US Administration would have considered. There are numerous precedents for countries choosing to display their contempt for international organisations. When Japan's delegation stalked out of the League of Nations in Geneva in 1933, following a vote to condemn the invasion of Manchuria, no-one doubted that the assembly had finally lost its struggle against expansionist tyranny. Nikita Khrushchev, as Soviet leader, once denounced his foes at the UN while hammering his shoe on the table. Trump has neither walked out of the UN nor banged his shoe. Yet by voting alongside the enemies of the principles of the Charter, he has given the impression that America has joined their ranks. If so, Monday could yet come to be seen as the day the UN died.
