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On October 7, 2023, like many people around the world, I woke up to news of the terrible attacks Hamas suffered on more than 1,200 innocent Israel, the United States and other civilians, and did nothing that day except to live a life. Television news broadcasts are annoying – photos of disabled babies; fathers, mothers, sisters, brothers were killed in front of family members; peace activists who were murdered in cold blood; and 250 hostages, some of whom are still in possession for more than 20 months.
Later in the day, the United States called for an emergency meeting at the UN Security Council to resolve the massive terrorist attack, the largest Jewish murder since the Holocaust. As the U.S. ambassador responsible for security committee affairs, I represented the United States at an emergency meeting on October 8 and asked the Council to issue a statement expressly condemning Hamas’ brutal terrorist attack.
Unfortunately, Russia, China and some other council members refused to endorse such a statement. In short, it is abominable and incomprehensible that their refusal to call spades. Note: Until today, the Security Council has not officially declared Hamas a terrorist organization.
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Entering the 8th October Emergency Commission meeting, there should be global sympathy for Israel – of course, it is expected that Israel must respond militarily. But once Israel takes steps to defend itself, it is the right mentioned in Article 51 of the UN Charter, many countries, most notably from the global South, condemn Israel’s disproportionate response and use it as a cry of rallying to further isolate Israel’s Israel in the multilateral system.
U.S. Ambassador Robert Wood opposes and vetoes the UN Security Council’s draft resolution on Israel. November 20, 2024. (UNTV)
This is no surprise to me and many of my U.S. government colleagues. Unfortunately, support for Israel’s world institutions has declined since joining the United Nations in 1948, and this decline began to accelerate during the 1960s. Many former colonies began to observe the Israeli-Palestine conflict through the prism of their struggle with European colonists, who were seen as colonists and Palestinians were colonized.
Israel’s relationship with the United Nations reached Nadir in 1975, when the UN General Assembly adopted a highly politicized resolution equating Zionism with racism, which was eventually revoked by the United Nations Church in 1991. Unfortunately, the efforts of the Palestinians and their supporters have kept the United Nations future Israel from Israel since October 7 and processed in 2023 since October 7.
Israeli officials oppose expected UN Security Council ceasefire resolution
During my more than two years as ambassador in New York, I had a lot of hard diplomacy on the situation in Gaza and imposed the sole veto of two UNSC draft resolutions related to the war, neither of which explicitly condemn Hamas, a direct link to the ceasefire, with the release of the people and the references to 51 articles of Israel.
If the Council adopts these texts, they would not immediately stop the ceasefire or release the hostages – but it would certainly bring time and space to Hamas. Other council representatives also agreed privately, but still felt the pressure on the capital increased, demanding an immediate ceasefire.
From the beginning of the conflict until the end of the Biden administration, the United States regularly offers creative alternatives to the language of ceasefire, while most other council members insist on explicit references to the immediate ceasefire. On rare occasions, the Council can find a common basis for wording on Gaza when it focuses on the principles of humanitarian assistance and protection of civilians.
Netanyahu
But when some members choose to abandon council unity and force a vote on a resolution containing unacceptable language of ceasefire, the United States has no choice but to exercise its veto. Before each veto, we recognize potential collateral damage to the United States’ international reputation. However, given the highly charged and extremely complex situation in the local area, we believe that the adoption of an unbalanced Council resolution will not be feasible or impossible to implement.
In the United States, establishing limited and credible channels of negotiation is crucial to achieving effective, lasting and sustainable goals of war. Although the Biden administration did not end the war, it did negotiate a three-phase diplomatic framework to suspend combat and release hostages, which eventually received the blessing of the council and supported by the Trump administration.
To this day, a key factor that hinders the Gaza Committee is the exploitation of the situation there by Moscow and Beijing, a clear geopolitical apocalypse: shifting international attention to the barbaric war against Ukraine. In response to the remarks of Russia in the Gaza Council and habitually condemn the United States for alleged promotion of Israeli actions, I have been reminding the members of the Council that Russia has no right to criticize any country in view of the terrible war of aggression carried out by Russia in Ukraine.
The United States once again rejected the UN Security Council resolution, saying that Israel and Hamas were called “immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire” between New York City on June 4, 2025. (Selcuk acar/anadolu via Getty image)
I also publicly warn Chinese diplomats that if they continue to false allegations of U.S. regarding Gaza, I will immediately call on its country’s support for Russia’s military industrial base, refuting Beijing’s virtual claim that it has no political party that does not support the conflict. Russia and China must end the politicization of Gaza, either constructively promoting peace efforts or simply lifting out obstacles.
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While I hope Russia and China will take up a confrontational position, I am very disappointed that my three U.S. partners in the Council, Slovenia, Algeria and Guyana have chosen to regularly backpack Russian and Chinese political mischiefs to push for more urgent council action on this issue. Their purpose is to humiliate the United States and force it from its firm support for the Israeli war with Hamas.
The three have been aware that Washington is conducting sensitive negotiations with Israel, Qatar and Egypt to promote the fight in Gaza and alleviate the enduring end of civilian suffering. But instead of falling behind these steps and working with us in good faith, they would rather increase public pressure on the United States, ignoring the US’ concerns about how Hamas and other vicious actors in the region manipulate their actions – Iran, Hezbollah and Hossis – damage to the peace and security of the government.
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In view of the ongoing committee division of the war against Gaza, some UN member states continue to order sanctions for future General Assembly resolutions (non-legal binding) , arms embargoes and other tough international measures against Israel.
The recent U.S. veto on Gaza parliamentary resolutions will surely fuel these efforts. As I have written, the Palestinians and their allies continue to pursue other avenues of Israel throughout the United Nations system. Discussions on suspending Israel’s voting rights at the General Assembly were even discussed in some UN circles, which would create serious anger against Washington and trigger serious political consequences for the UN.
American family in October. 7 Hamas attacks victims sued Iran for “critical role” in supporting the Holocaust
Since the beginning of this tragic conflict, I have been celebrating many UN officials that all the United States has to do is instruct Israel to end its pursuit of Hamas and somehow the magical ending of the battle will come true.
As far as they are concerned, I think I really don’t want to see Israel as its national security issue. Although the United States does have influence on Israel, it is naive that these colleagues think that the United States can simply instruct Jerusalem to be and should not do what it believes to be a threat it believes exists.
Russia and China must end the politicization of Gaza, either constructively promoting peace efforts or simply lifting out obstacles.
Misleading pressure on the United States, relentless efforts to isolate Israel, Russia and China’s transfer strategies, blatant anti-Semitism and efforts by some states to relenting to compromise continue to hinder the Security Council’s ability to speak in a voice when ending the Gaza war. Until these unfortunate practices cease, the Council will have nothing to do with resolutions on Gaza and the broader Israel-Palestinian conflict.
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Although no one can ignore the horrible tragedy in Gaza now, it is still a fact that those UN member states with influence with Hamas have made strategic decisions not to use it. Over the years, many countries have publicly condemned Hamas’ hesitation as a terrorist organization, giving it only the oxygen it needs to continue, regardless of how death in Gaza and the suffering Palestinians continue to experience it.
To end this war, Hamas must be disarmed and dissolved. Gaza will have no peace before Gaza. Gaza people should have the opportunity to live in peace and seek a prosperous future. Hamas’s ongoing rules will not bring.
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