US vetoes Kuwait-drafted UN resolution on protecting Palestinians

Rasa - The United States has vetoed a Kuwait-drafted UN resolution calling for the protection of Palestinians in Gaza and the occupied West Bank.

News ID: 438007

Date: 02 June 2018 - 21:41

RNA - Out of the 15 UN Security Council members, Russia, France and China along with seven others voted in favor of the resolution on Friday, while four including Britain abstained.

The draft called for "the consideration of measures to guarantee the safety and protection of the Palestinian civilian population in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including in the Gaza Strip."

Palestinian Ambassador Riyad Mansour said the veto risked "undermining the council's credibility and authority," and proved that the US had "extreme mal-intent."

Kuwait's Ambassador Mansour al-Otaibi said the US veto "will increase the sentiment of despair among the Palestinians."

US envoy to the UN Nikki Haley called the resolution a “grossly one-sided” view of the conflict between Palestine and Israel.

She also described Hamas as a major impediment to peace, proposing an alternative draft resolution which only gained Washington’s positive vote.

During a second vote, when the US put forward its own rival measure, eleven countries abstained, while Russia and two others opposed it.

At least 120 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces since the “Great March of Return” began in the Gaza Strip on March 30. Fourteen children are among the fallen Palestinians.

About 13,300 Palestinians also sustained injuries, of whom 300 are in a critical condition.

The occupied territories have witnessed new tensions ever since US President Donald Trump on December 6, 2017 announced Washington's recognition of Jerusalem al-Quds as Israel’s “capital” and said the US would move its embassy to the city.

According to Press TV, the dramatic decision triggered demonstrations in the occupied Palestinian territories and elsewhere in the world.

The status of Jerusalem al-Quds is the thorniest issue in the decades-long Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The Palestinians see East Jerusalem al-Quds as the capital of their future state.

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