EXPLAINER
The US vetoed a Gaza ceasefire draft decision; listed here are all the opposite Gaza resolutions the Safety Council has voted on.
America has vetoed a United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolution calling for an “quick, unconditional and everlasting” ceasefire in Gaza – the fourth time the Biden administration has blocked a ceasefire decision since final October.
The remaining UNSC’s 14 members voted in favour of the most recent decision to finish the conflict that has killed greater than 44,000 Palestinians and turned Gaza right into a wasteland.
Solely 4 of the 14 resolutions, which have been proposed over the almost 14 months of Israel’s conflict on Gaza, have handed.
How does UNSC voting work?
- The UNSC is made up of 15 members, of which 5 are everlasting.
- The 5 everlasting members, referred to as P5 – China, France, Russia, the UK and the USA – have veto energy.
- This implies any of the P5 members can block a draft decision, even when backed by others.
- 9 out of the 15 members must vote in favour of a decision for it to move, offered not one of the P5 use veto energy.
- Ten different members are non-permanent ones elected for two-year phrases by the UN Common Meeting. Because the conflict has spanned over 13 months, from October 2023 to November 2024, right here’s how the non-permanent members have modified:
- October to December 2023: Gabon, Ghana, Mozambique, United Arab Emirates, Japan, Albania, Brazil, Ecuador, Malta, Switzerland.
- January 2024 to current day: Algeria, Sierra Leone, Mozambique, South Korea, Japan, Slovenia, Guyana, Ecuador, Malta, Switzerland.
Right here’s how UNSC member states have voted on the 14 resolutions proposed since Israel launched its conflict on Gaza on October 7, 2023:
October 16, 2023, draft decision
- Outcome: Not handed
- Proposed by: Russia
- Details: Humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza, launch of all Israeli captives taken on October 7, entry to humanitarian assist and protected evacuation of civilians.
- Votes in favour: UAE, Russia, Mozambique, Gabon, China
- Votes in opposition to: US, UK, France, Japan
- Abstentions: Switzerland, Ghana, Ecuador, Brazil, Albania
- Learn extra here.
October 18, 2023, draft decision
- Proposed by: Brazil
- Details: Humanitarian pauses to permit unhindered assist into Gaza, condemnation of violence in opposition to all civilians and the rescission of Israel’s evacuation order.
- Votes in favour: 12 in whole: China, France, Switzerland, Ghana, Ecuador, Brazil, Albania, Mozambique, Gabon, UAE, France, Japan
- Abstentions: Russia, UK
- Vetoed by: US
- Learn extra here.
October 25, 2023, draft decision
- Proposed by: Russia
- Details: Israel instantly cancels its evacuation order for northern Gaza.
- Votes in favour: 4 in whole: China, Gabon, Russia and UAE
- Abstentions: Switzerland, Mozambique, Malta, Japan, Ghana, France, Ecuador, Brazil, Albania
- Vetoed by: US, UK
October 25, 2023, draft decision
- Proposed by: US
- Details: Humanitarian pause to permit assist into Gaza, backing the “inherent proper of all states” to “self-defence” and for Hamas to launch all its captives.
- Votes in favour: 10 in whole: US, UK, France, Switzerland, Ghana, Ecuador, Albania, Gabon, Malta, Japan
- Votes in opposition to: UAE
- Abstentions: Brazil, Mozambique
- Vetoed by: Russia, China
- Learn extra here.
November 15, 2023 decision
- This was the primary UNSC decision to move, greater than a month after the start of the conflict.
- Proposed by: Malta
- Details: Pressing and prolonged humanitarian pauses to permit assist into Gaza and medical evacuations, institution of corridors all through Gaza to permit safeguarding of civilians, return of Israeli captives.
- Votes in favour: 12 in whole: China, France, Switzerland, Ghana, Ecuador, Brazil, Albania, Mozambique, Gabon, Malta, UAE, Japan
- Abstentions: US, UK, Russia
- Learn extra here.
December 8, 2023, draft decision
- Proposed by: UAE
- Details: Fast humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza.
- Votes in favour: 13 in whole: Russia, China, France, Switzerland, Ghana, Ecuador, Brazil, Albania, Mozambique, Gabon, Malta, UAE, Japan
- Abstentions: UK
- Vetoed by: US
- Learn extra here.
December 22, 2023, decision
- Proposed by: UAE
- Details: Create the circumstances for a sustainable suspension of hostilities, launch of captives, unhindered humanitarian assist entry.
- Votes in favour: 13 in whole: UK, China, France, Switzerland, Ghana, Ecuador, Brazil, Albania, Mozambique, Gabon, Malta, UAE, Japan
- Abstentions: US, Russia
- Learn extra here.
February 20, 2024, draft decision
- This was the primary decision vote since a number of non-permanent members had been rotated within the UNSC.
- Outcome: Not handed
- Proposed by: Algeria
- Details: Fast humanitarian ceasefire and quick and unconditional launch of all captives.
- Votes in favour: 13 in whole: Russia, China, France, Algeria, Sierra Leone, Mozambique, South Korea, Japan, Slovenia, Guyana, Ecuador, Malta, Switzerland
- Abstentions: UK
- Vetoed by: US
- Learn extra here.
March 22, 2024, draft decision
- Proposed by: US
- Details: Crucial for a right away and sustained ceasefire.
- Votes in favour: 11 in whole: US, UK, France, Sierra Leone, Mozambique, South Korea, Japan, Slovenia, Ecuador, Malta, Switzerland
- Votes in opposition to: Algeria
- Abstentions: Guyana
- Vetoed by: Russia, China
- Learn extra here.
March 25, 2024, decision
- Proposed by: The ten non-permanent UNSC members.
- Details: Fast ceasefire throughout Ramadan, resulting in a long-lasting, sustainable ceasefire. This was when two weeks had been left of Ramadan.
- Votes in favour: 14 in whole: Russia, China, UK, France, Sierra Leone, Mozambique, South Korea, Japan, Slovenia, Ecuador, Malta, Switzerland
- Abstentions: US
- Learn extra here.
April 18, 2024, draft decision
- Proposed by: Algeria
- Details: For Palestine to realize full membership within the UN.
- Votes in favour: 12 in whole: Russia, China, France, Sierra Leone, Mozambique, South Korea, Japan, Slovenia, Ecuador, Malta
- Votes in opposition to: UAE
- Abstentions: UK, Switzerland
- Vetoed by: US
- Learn extra here.
June 10, 2024, decision
- Proposed by: US
- Details: Ceasefire over three phases: section one being the discharge of Israeli captives and Palestinian prisoners over six weeks, section two being the everlasting finish to hostilities and section three being a multi-year plan for the reconstruction of Gaza.
- Votes in favour: 14 in whole: US, China, UK, France, Algeria, Sierra-Leone, Mozambique, South Korea, Japan, Slovenia, Guyana, Ecuador, Malta, Switzerland
- Abstentions: Russia
- Learn extra here.
November 20, 2024, draft decision
- Outcome: Not handed
- Proposed by: The ten elected UNSC members: Algeria, Sierra-Leone, Mozambique, South Korea, Japan, Slovenia, Guyana, Ecuador, Malta, Switzerland
- Details: Fast, unconditional and everlasting ceasefire, for all events to adjust to worldwide regulation, quick entry to humanitarian assist for civilians in Gaza, launch of Israeli captives in Gaza in addition to Palestinian prisoners, United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) stays the spine of humanitarian help in Gaza.
- Votes in favour: 14 in whole: China, UK, France, Russia, Algeria, Sierra-Leone, Mozambique, South Korea, Japan, Slovenia, Guyana, Ecuador, Malta, Switzerland
- Vetoed by: US
- Learn extra here.