Commentary: With its veto, the U.S. stands against peace

BEIJING, Dec. 9 (Xinhua) -- Amid a global outcry for peace, the United States has once again pitted itself against the international community by vetoing a draft resolution demanding an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.

At the Security Council's meeting on the Israel-Palestine issue, the resolution -- submitted by the United Arab Emirates to the United Nations (UN) Security Council on Friday -- received overwhelming support from 13 of the 15 Security Council members, with Britain abstaining. The United States is the only member to vote against it.

In fact, as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, the United States has vetoed two UN resolutions on the Palestinian-Israeli issue. On Oct. 27, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution that calls for "an immediate, durable and sustained humanitarian truce," and urges immediate humanitarian access to Gaza, with 120 countries voting in favor. The United States also voted against it.

While the conflict continues raging, having killed more than 17,000 innocent civilians and caused a dire humanitarian situation in Gaza, any stance against peace is untenable and irresponsible.

Allowing the conflict to persist while expressing concern for the safety and humanitarian needs of the civilians in Gaza and advocating for the protection of women and children while enabling the conflict to continue only serves to reveal U.S. "double standards."

At present, an immediate ceasefire is the absolute priority. Without a comprehensive ceasefire, humanitarian aid efforts are futile. Allowing the conflict to linger could ultimately result in a catastrophe engulfing the entire region and dampening hopes for a "two-state solution," plunging the Palestinian and Israeli peoples into a vicious cycle of hatred and confrontation.

The current situation has obliged UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to invoke Article 99 of the UN Charter to urge the Security Council to call for a ceasefire. This is the first time in more than 50 years that the article, which says the secretary-general may inform the council of matters he believes threatening international peace and security, has been invoked.

As a global superpower, the United States should take its due responsibility and join other Security Council members in pooling all efforts toward the common goal of quelling the conflict in Gaza to provide the Palestinian people with hope to survive and the Middle East hope for peace.