hankyoreh

Demonstrators calling for a ceasefire in Gaza occupy the Cannon House Office Building at the US Capitol in Washington on Oct. 18. (AP/Yonhap)

US President Joe Biden used his visit to Israel on Wednesday to voice his firm support for Israel while also making remarks aimed at consoling the Palestinians, advocating protection for civilians and promising a US$1 billion aid package. But the US has opposed a series of resolutions submitted in the UN Security Council calling for a ceasefire or at least a temporary pause in the fighting to enable humanitarian aid, leaving no doubt that the US doesn’t mean to stop Israel’s military operations.

A resolution submitted by Brazil, which holds the UNSC presidency this month, to halt the fighting on humanitarian grounds received the support of 12 of the 15 council’s members in a vote on Wednesday, while Biden was visiting Israel. Despite being supported by a majority of members, the resolution was blocked by the US, which exercised its veto power as a permanent member.

Russia and the UK, both of which are also permanent members of the UNSC, abstained from the vote, making the US the only country to cast an opposing vote. China and France, the other two permanent members, joined the nonpermanent members in support of the resolution. The resolution was not calling for a ceasefire, but rather a temporary halt in the attacks to enable UN organizations to distribute humanitarian aid in the Gaza Strip.

Brazil included language in the draft resolution condemning Hamas’ horrific crimes and terrorism in a gesture to pro-Israel countries. The draft also called for respecting international law and protecting civilian lives. Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the US ambassador to the UN, cited disappointment with the lack of any mention of Israel’s right to self-defense as the grounds for vetoing the resolution.

Russia had submitted an earlier resolution calling for a ceasefire on Monday. That resolution had the support of five council members, including Russia and China, with the US and three other members voting against the resolution and six members abstaining.

This isn’t the first time the US has bucked the majority opinion at the UN to defend Israel on the issue of Palestine. But it’s striking that the US has shot down even apparently neutral UN Security Council resolutions since the conflict between Hamas and Israel began on Oct. 7.

A useful comparison is China and Russia’s repeated use of their veto power to thwart US attempts to impose sanctions on North Korea in response to its violations of previous UN Security Council resolutions.

While visiting Israel on Wednesday, Biden delivered an address at Tel Aviv that afternoon expressing his determination to provide Israel with large-scale support while also promising to provide US$100 million in humanitarian aid to the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.

US President Joe Biden speaks to reporters on Air Force One during a stop to refuel at Ramstein Air Base in Germany on Oct. 18 following his trip to Israel. (AP/Yonhap)

On his return flight to the US, the US president also said he had arranged with the Israeli and Egyptian governments to allow 20 truckloads of humanitarian supplies to be distributed in the Gaza Strip, which Israel is blockading. But that seems unlikely to make much of a difference in the grave humanitarian crisis in the open-air prison that is the Gaza Strip, where 2.2 million people are trapped without access to water, food or electricity.

At the same time, Biden reiterated the US’ firm commitment to protecting civilian lives in an apparent appeal for Israel to exercise restraint.

“Justice must be done. But I caution this: While you feel that rage, don’t be consumed by it,” Biden said, while also reminding his audience how the US “made mistakes” after the 9/11 terror attacks.

Biden appears to have been urging Israel to recall how the US military’s invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq, which were designed to punish the sponsors of terrorism, led to long-term entanglements that provoked even more conflict and strife.

The US military ended its 20-year occupation of Afghanistan in August 2021, in Biden’s first year in office, in a chaotic series of events that included terrorist attacks and the collapse of the US-backed government.

Some US media have said that Biden’s warnings were an obvious request for Israel to exercise restraint. But considering that Biden didn’t ask Israel to halt attacks or call a ceasefire, it basically amounted to asking Israel to minimize harm to civilians.

There are increasing calls for a ceasefire in the US. More than 300 demonstrators, including many Jewish Americans, who want Israel to halt its attacks were arrested during a sit-in in the lobby of US Congress on Thursday. Demonstrators with Jewish Voice for Peace crowded into the congressional building and chanted calls for declaring an immediate ceasefire.

By Lee Bon-young, Washington correspondent

Please direct questions or comments to [english@hani.co.kr]