Once again, the Security Council failed to adopt the draft resolution on the situation in Palestine and Israel, and China expressed shock and disappointment.

　　China news agency, United Nations, October 18th The UN Security Council voted on another draft resolution on the situation in Palestine and Israel on the 18th. The draft resolution was not adopted because the United States, a permanent member, exercised its veto. Speaking after the vote, Zhang Jun, Permanent Representative of China to the United Nations, said that China was shocked and disappointed that the draft resolution was not adopted.

　　The draft resolution proposed by Brazil was voted on that day. The draft resolution condemns the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) and all acts of violence against civilians, urges all parties to abide by international law and provide basic goods and services to civilians continuously, fully and unhindered, and calls for the withdrawal of civilians and United Nations staff from the northern part of the Gaza Strip to ensure humanitarian assistance.

　　The voting results showed that 12 countries in the Security Council voted for it, the United States voted against it, and Russia and Britain abstained. Because the United States, a permanent member of the Security Council, exercised its veto power, the draft resolution could not be adopted. Before the vote on the draft resolution, Russia also proposed two amendments to add two paragraphs, which were also not adopted.

　　In his explanatory speech after the vote, Zhang Jun said that the Russian draft resolution was put forward the night before yesterday, focusing on the humanitarian concerns of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and calling for an immediate ceasefire to protect civilians, which was supported and co-sponsored by many Arab countries. However, some countries chose to vote against it because they were willing to ask for more time to seek consensus on the basis of the draft resolution proposed by Brazil. Brazilian colleagues and many members of the Security Council showed a constructive attitude and agreed to postpone the voting for 24 hours, and then postponed it until now. In the past 40 hours, they have neither expressed their opinions nor expressed their opposition to the Palestinian draft, which makes us expect that they can support the draft today and the Security Council can pass the resolution smoothly, but the final voting result is unbelievable.

　　Zhang Jun pointed out that China believes that there is still room for improvement in Brazil’s draft resolution, and it should send a strong signal to demand a ceasefire, protect civilians and avoid a humanitarian disaster. For this reason, China put forward suggestions to improve the text and supported the Russian amendment. We are very sorry that the amendment was not passed. Nevertheless, considering that the situation on the ground in Gaza is deteriorating rapidly, the air raid on the hospital yesterday caused hundreds of civilian deaths, and the Security Council needs to take swift and forceful action. China strongly condemns the air strikes on hospitals and urges Israel to earnestly fulfill its obligations under international humanitarian law. China calls for an immediate ceasefire to protect civilians and avoid a greater humanitarian disaster.

　　Zhang Jun said that the draft resolution put forward by Brazil generally reflects the universal voice of the international community, represents the initial step for the Security Council to promote a ceasefire, and may be the only text that the Security Council can reach an agreement under the current situation. The countries concerned verbally stressed that the Security Council should take correct actions, but their voting position made us suspect that they didn’t want the Security Council to take any action at all and didn’t want to really solve the problem. In any case, the Council cannot stand still. At present, the situation in Gaza is escalating, and more civilians are paying their lives and suffering. The Security Council should listen to the just cry of the Arab countries and the Palestinian people, and earnestly fulfill its responsibilities and play its role in stopping the war, protecting civilians and avoiding a greater humanitarian disaster.