By Joseph A. Klein, CFP United Nations Columnist ——Bio and Archives--December 9, 2023

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For the first time during his two terms as United Nations Secretary General, Antonio Guterres invoked Article 99 of the UN Charter, which allows the Secretary General to “bring to the attention of the Security Council any matter which in his opinion may threaten the maintenance of international peace and security.” He did so to call for an immediate “humanitarian ceasefire” on the grounds that the fighting in Gaza is risking “the total collapse of the humanitarian support system in Gaza, which would have devastating consequences.”

In response, the United Arab Emirates presented a draft resolution to the Security Council calling for an immediate ceasefire. The draft resolution received 13 yes votes, 1 abstention, and 1 no vote by the United States, which rightly exercised its veto power in this case. The veto deep-sixed the so-called international community’s attempt to prevent Israel from winning its war for survival by destroying its genocidal enemy, Hamas.

In explaining the U.S.’s veto, Robert A. Wood, representing the U.S. at the Security Council meeting, said: “We still cannot comprehend why the resolution’s authors declined to include language condemning Hamas’ horrific terrorist attack on Israel on October 7. An attack that killed over 1,200 people. Women, children, the elderly. People from a range of nationalities. Burned alive. Gunned down. Subject to obscene sexual violence. We are very disappointed that for the victims of these heinous acts, the resolution’s authors offered not their condolences, nor condemnation of their murderers. It’s unfathomable.”

Mr. Wood also criticized the draft resolution for its “call for an unconditional ceasefire,” which “would simply leave Hamas in place, able to regroup and repeat what it did on October 7.”

“Colleagues,” Mr. Wood said, “a senior Hamas official recently stated the group intends to repeat the vile acts of October 7, ‘again and again and again.’ And yet, this........

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