Guyana “deeply regrets” UNSC veto on Gaza ceasefire resolution

…says war must end “permanently, comprehensively and justly”

Guyana has voiced deep disappointment at the failure of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to adopt a resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza after a veto by one of its permanent members blocked the move, despite overwhelming support from the rest of the Council.

On Thursday, the United States (US) once again vetoed a UN resolution demanding an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, following a vote in the Security Council.
The negative vote was cast as the 15-member Council held its 10,000th meeting against the backdrop of famine spreading in the besieged enclave and an ongoing Israeli offensive to take full control of Gaza City.
The draft also demanded the release of all hostages held by Hamas and for Israel to lift all restrictions on the entry of humanitarian aid and ensure that it is safely distributed to the population – in particular by UN agencies and partners.
In a compelling statement at the Council’s meeting, Guyana’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, said that Guyana “deeply regrets the use of the veto today which scuttled these efforts”.
“Fourteen Member States of the Council decided to definitively respond to the confirmation of famine in Gaza and to reiterate our demand for a ceasefire and for the release of all hostages held in Gaza. Guyana therefore deeply regrets the use of the veto today, which scuttled these efforts.”
“The question consuming many in the international community, including many of us around this table, is ‘what will it take to achieve consensus for the Security Council to act as one and exercise its responsibility to protect the Palestinian people?’ In the nearly two years of Israel’s active military operations in Gaza, the breadth of the atrocities unleashed on the Palestinian people defies every tenet of decency, morality and humanity. More importantly, international law – the very fabric of the international system that we built from the ruins of World War Two – continues to be violated every single day in defiance of every warning, every legal ruling, and every appeal to the perpetrator of these atrocities. And all of this, Mr President, is done with total impunity,” the Guyanese envoy stated.
Ambassador Rodrigues-Birkett questioned what more it would take for the Council to act in unity. She described the near two years of military operations in Gaza as atrocities that “defy every tenet of decency, morality and humanity”, with international law being violated daily and with total impunity.
“The result of this impunity is the ongoing commission of genocide – yes, genocide,” she said, citing confirmation this week by the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry. She accused Israel of weaponising starvation, restricting humanitarian aid, and carrying out ground operations in Gaza City following weeks of strikes on civilian infrastructure.
Guyana stressed that the veto had once again prevented the Council from fulfilling its mandate of maintaining peace and security, despite the overwhelming political will of 14 members.
“The international community has rightly looked to the Council to defend and protect the right of the Palestinian people to be free from Israel’s tyranny. But again, owing to the continued exercise of the veto prerogative, this Council is constrained.”
“Guyana wants this war on Palestine to end permanently, comprehensively and justly. And we will continue to partner to this end with those who have a role in making this goal a reality. The Security Council is pivotal to this end, and Guyana urges that we keep sounding the alarm bells on Palestine and advocating for the Palestinian people until they are free. The Council has the tools to bring about decisive changes in the situation in Gaza and to prevent further escalations in the region, and we should utilise them. Sadly, once again we could not do so today, despite the political will of 14 of the 15 Member States of the Council,” Rodrigues-Birkett added.