An American “veto” detached from reality

One arm rose in opposition to the ceasefire proposal, while another arm appeared paralyzed, either for fear of criticism or perhaps as an expression of solidarity with common goals. 

This is how the situation appeared at the emergency Security Council meeting on December 8, 2023, in which the United Arab Emirates submitted a request for a ceasefire in Gaza, where the Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres, called for the activation of Article 99 of the United Nations Charter, which is a rare article. What is used, grants the Secretary-General political powers instead of administrative ones, in a strict step by the United Nations to intervene after the continuous Israeli bombing that led to one of the greatest tragedies in contemporary history, during which the number of civilian casualties reached 18,000 dead as of the date of writing these lines, in addition to the displacement 80% of the population and complete destruction of the entire Gaza region.

The opposing arm that was raised aloft in defiance of an immediate humanitarian ceasefire was American, while the paralyzed arm that abstained from voting in favor of the comfort and peace of millions of helpless civilians was British. The rest of the members shook their heads in apparent disappointment, but there was no expression of surprise as they listened to US Special Political Affairs Representative Robert A. Wood describes the request as “detached from reality.” However, the truth emerges from the horrific numbers received from humanitarian organizations in Gaza, the same statistics that US President Joe Biden questioned, following in the footsteps of former President George W. Bush, who denied the extent of civilian casualties in his war on “weapons of mass destruction” in Iraq. Which led to the death of a million Iraqis, pledging a better future for the region despite the atrocities.

Robert Wood continued to dehumanize the Palestinian people, sending a clear message to the rest of the membership by being busy with his phone during a speech by Palestinian diplomat Riyad Mansour at the United Nations. More than two months after the Israeli bombing, the world has not yet received a clear purpose for Israel's mission regarding this terrible disaster.

It became quite clear that Israel did not have a clear goal from the beginning. Eliminating “terrorism” is a vague mission that we have heard repeatedly in this region, but history has shown that America and its Western allies succeeded in waging wars using this pretext, but without ever accomplishing this alleged mission. Terrorism was not eliminated using this logic, but rather they only contributed to Empowering it by creating a more chaotic and suitable environment for its growth.

The United States' position made its allies realize that not all alliances are equal, and that its support and political relations are conditional. This was not surprising, as the United States had abandoned its ethics regarding human rights and international laws, thus presenting itself as a hypocrite in the eyes of the world it was preaching to. In every political endeavor, the most reliable path for governments to continue is to provide strong leadership and unwavering adherence to principles, regardless of alliances. However, this ideal approach often proves elusive in a complex global reality.

Now, after the events in Gaza, even the dreamers and optimists seem to have woken up to the harsh reality. There are moments in political history that are considered pivotal, and this genocide under the slogan “defending the state” became one of them, and history will record this war on Palestinian civilians and their displacement as a pivotal moment in which the world woke up to plans for occupation and expansion, and from now on, the old discourse will no longer be itself is sufficient to explain or justify the atrocities committed in pursuit of these goals. Robert Wood's raised arm also showed the stubbornness of the United States, which stood alone in its blind support for Israel. The world now realizes that if any other country had carried out the acts of terrorism that are broadcast globally, America would have mobilized all its forces to end these war crimes, and Benjamin Netanyahu would have faced justice in The Hague. However, this is not any other country, this is Israel, and the United States is prepared to risk its entire foreign political standing in defense of it.

Other governments appear to lack options, and the hope remains that they will take a defiant stance, indifferent to American logic, and take more decisive steps. To force the hand that controls terrorism to surrender, regardless of the costs involved.

Governments, whatever countries they represent, must respect international laws not only for the sake of Palestine, but also in order to restore the confidence of the peoples of the world and reassure them that justice and freedom are a legitimate right for all. In agreement with the Gulf