NEW YORK: The United States is set to veto on Friday an Arab-backed draft resolution calling for protection measures for the Palestinians after more than 100 were killed by Israeli forces during protests at the border with Gaza.
US Ambassador Nikki Haley described the text as a “grossly one-sided approach” and vowed “the United States will unquestionably veto” the measure put forward by Kuwait on behalf of Arab countries.
The proposed resolution “is morally bankrupt and would only serve to undermine ongoing efforts toward peace between the Israelis and Palestinians,” Haley said in a statement on Thursday.
The council is scheduled to vote at 3:00 pm (1900 GMT).
The United States circulated a separate amended draft resolution blaming Hamas for the recent flare-up in Gaza and demanding that Hamas and Islamic Jihad “cease all violent activity and provocative actions, including along the boundary fence,” according to the text seen by AFP.
Diplomats said negotiations were continuing on whether to put that measure to a vote. If put to a vote, the US-proposed text was not expected to garner enough support for adoption.
Kuwait presented its draft two weeks ago, initially calling for an international protection mission for the Palestinians as protests turned violent on the Israeli-Gaza border.
At least 122 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in the unrest since the end of March.
A Palestinian woman was killed by Israeli fire on Friday, just hours before the vote. No Israelis have been killed.
After weeks of negotiations, Kuwait softened the language and instead called for “the consideration of measures to guarantee the safety and protection” of Palestinian civilians in Gaza and the occupied West Bank.
The draft resolution requests a report from Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on a possible “international protection mechanism.”
