Last week, the United States rejected a United Nations Resolution that called for an immediate ceasefire to allow humanitarian aid into Gaza. The United States was the only dissenter in the Security Council, as 13 countries voted for the measure while the United Kingdom abstained. France and Japan were also among the supporters.
Vice U.S. Robert Wood, the ambassador to the United Nations, told the council the resolution “was divorced from reality”.
Wood stated that the authors of the resolution did not include any language condemning Hamas for its horrific terrorist attack against Israel on 7 October. He also explained that the U.S. ignored other provisions they had recommended.
Wood acknowledged before the vote what many ceasefire supporters ignore: Hamas does not care about peace and a ceasefire “would only plant the seeds of the next war.”
Hamas does not want a lasting peace or a two-state solution. The United States supports a lasting peace in which Israelis and Palestinians live in peace and safety. However, we don’t support calls for a cease-fire immediately.
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At the UN Security Council, US Deputy Ambassador to the United Nations Robert Wood:
“We do not support calls for an immediate ceasefire. This would only plant seeds for the next war. Because Hamas has no desire to see a durable peace…to see a two-state solution.” pic.twitter.com/3GbJXDyAnL
— Yashar Ali 🐘 (@yashar) December 8, 2023
The United States holds veto powers as one of five permanent members of the Council.
Israel’s ambassador remained firm, saying that Hamas should be neutralized.
Israel’s U.N. Ambassador Gilad Erdan said that the regional stability, security, and safety of Israelis and Gazans can only be achieved “once Hamas has been eliminated — and not one minute earlier.”
He told the council that the only way to achieve peace was to support Israel’s mission, and not by calling for a truce. “Israel has committed itself to eliminating Hamas’s capabilities to ensure that such horrors can never again be repeated. If Hamas does not go down, these horrors will repeat themselves.
Erdan thanked America’s support while blasting the resolution’s premise:
I thank the United States and President Biden for standing firmly by our side, today and showing their leadership and values. On this Hanukkah holiday, a little of the light dispelled a lot of the darkness.
It is shocking that while Hamas is firing rockets at Israel from…
— Ambassador Gilad Erdan גלעד ארדן (@giladerdan1) December 8, 2023
While Hamas continues to fire rockets into Israel from southern Gaza’s population centers, the UN is debating a distorted resolution that will allow Hamas terrorists to remain in power and doesn’t condemn Hamas nor call for the release of the hostages. The only way to achieve a ceasefire is with the release of all hostages, and the destruction of Hamas.
Many people are calling for a ceasefire that will last forever, but they ignore the reality. It sounds like both Israel and Hamas will lay down their arms, but we know it’s only Israel. Hamas does not want to make peace with Israel, and if Israel backs down, terrorists will wait for the next chance to cause more destruction.
It sends out a message that says, “You can do whatever you want with Israel without having to worry about the consequences.” Imagine if a terrorist attack from our southern border had resulted in the brutal killing of our citizens by such a large number (the 1,200 Israelis dead is “equivalent” to 40,000 Americans in terms of population). It’s unlikely that many countries would demand a “ceasefire” if we were to wipe out the group responsible. We would tell them how to deal with it if they did.
Gaza’s situation is tragic and civilians are being killed. The U.N. Security Council, and all the groups that call for a ceasefire, keep forgetting one thing: Hamas can negotiate a truce in just five minutes.
You won’t be invaded by Israel if you release the hostages, put down your weapons, and stop attacking Israel. The U.N. could gain credibility by bringing up a resolution that demanded this.
