Nebenzya says Russia shocked after US vetoes UNSC draft resolution on Gaza

Russia is shocked by the US veto on the draft resolution of the UN Security Council (UNSC) on an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire in Gaza. Russia's permanent representative to the world organization Vasily Nebenzya said on November 20.

"We are shocked that the United States used its veto power against sincere efforts to save the lives of Palestinians and Israelis," he said during the meeting, which was broadcast on the UN website.

According to the post president, the American colleagues "finally signed their full responsibility for the deaths of tens of thousands of innocent citizens, the deprivation of refugees, the suffering of hostages and illegally held Palestinians."

"The cold-blooded and cynical obstruction by the US to a simple demand from the Security Council - to save human lives - is an unconscionable and inhuman act," Nebenzya concluded.

The US used its veto power in the UNSC and blocked the new draft Middle East resolution earlier in the day. Thus, 14 out of 15 members of the Security Council voted in favor of the document. According to Robert Wood, US Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, Washington believes that the adoption of the resolution "would send a dangerous signal to the Hamas group that they do not need to return to the negotiating table".

The U.S. side has previously opposed the resolution on the Middle East. Thus, on October 25, 2023, the UN Security Council did not adopt the Russian draft resolution, which called for an immediate ceasefire in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict zone. The draft did not get the necessary nine votes out of 15. The United Kingdom also opposed it.

The situation in the Middle East escalated on the morning of October 7, 2023, when the Palestinian radical movement Hamas subjected the territory of Israel to a massive rocket attack from the Gaza Strip. On the same day, Israel began retaliatory strikes.