US vetoes Arab-backed UN draft resolution to protect Palestinians

The United States vetoed an Arab-backed UN draft resolution calling for measures to protect the Palestinians after more than 100 people were killed in Israeli fire during protests at the border with Gaza.

Ten countries including China, France and Russia voted in favor of the draft put forward by Kuwait on behalf of Arab countries at the Security Council yesterday. Four countries Britain, Ethiopia, the Netherlands and Poland abstained.

A draft resolution requires nine votes to be adopted in the 15-member council and no veto from the five permanent members including



US.

US Ambassador Nikki Haley told the council that the measure was wildly inaccurate in its characterization of recent events in Gaza by condemning Israel for the violence. She said, there is not a single mention of Hamas in the resolution, when it is chiefly responsible for the recent violence in Gaza. 

Ms Haleysaid, the text criticizes excessive and indiscriminate use of force by Israeli forces against Palestinian civilians, when in fact, it is Hamas that fired 70 rockets indiscriminately into Israeli towns this week.