Kuwait’s Response to UN Veto on Gaza Ceasefire Resolution

2023-12-10 02:45:00

KUWAIT, Dec. 9 (Xinhua) — Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Sheikh Salem Abdullah al-Jaber al-Sabah on Saturday expressed his country’s deep regret over the United States’ use of its right to veto in the United Nations Security Council once morest the latest draft resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.

At Friday’s United Nations Security Council session, a draft resolution calling for an “immediate humanitarian ceasefire in the Gaza Strip”, proposed by the United Arab Emirates and widely supported by the international community, was not adopted. Of the 15 member states of the Security Council, 13 voted in favor, the United Kingdom abstained and the United States exercised its right of veto.

Sheikh Salem al-Sabah stressed that “a ceasefire and the protection of civilians in the Gaza Strip are urgent humanitarian demands that must be met as quickly as possible”, arguing that “the failure of resolution will be considered a new authorization for the occupying forces to continue to kill, destroy and displace the Palestinian people.

The minister also expressed serious concern that the Security Council did not respond to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ warning to invoke Article 99 of the UN Charter . Through this article, the Secretary General drew the Council’s attention to the fact that what is happening threatens the humanitarian order and the collapse of international peace and security.

Sheikh Salem al-Sabah reiterated his strong stance, calling for continued political and diplomatic efforts to address the humanitarian needs of Palestinian civilians.

Israel launched massive airstrikes and a ground offensive in Gaza in response to Hamas’ October 7 surprise attack on Israel, in which some 1,200 people were killed and more than 200 others taken hostage. On Tuesday evening, the Hamas media office said the Palestinian death toll reached 16,248 in Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip. END

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