Steven Sahiounie, journalist and political commentator
A UN Security Council vote on December 8, demanding an immediate humanitarian cease-fire in the Israel-Gaza war, failed because the US used their veto power in the sole dissenting vote. The US Ambassador to the UN, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, did not cast the damning vote, she sent her assistant instead, shielding herself from the disgust of the international community. Thomas-Greenfield is the direct descendant of African slaves held in America without citizenship or human rights, similar to the Palestinian people today.
Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken met with Qatari Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani ahead of the December 8 meeting with the Arab-Islamic Ministerial Committee, including Qatari Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Jordan's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Ayman Al-Safadi, Egypt's Minister of Foreign Affairs Sameh Shoukry, Palestinian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Riyad Al-Maliki, and Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs Hakan Fidan.
Some had envisioned the meeting between Blinken and the Arab ministers would take place prior to the UN vote, and the ministers could present their case as to why a ceasefire to save children's lives should be supported by the US, as initiated by Secretary-General Antonio Gutteres.
But, instead Blinken waited until after the US voted no, and the ceasefire was an impossibility, to sit around the table with the Arab-Islamic Ministerial Committee, who all looked dejected, and hopeless. They all told Blinken they reject the US-Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people in Gaza, and called on the US to assume its responsibilities and take the necessary measures to push Israel towards an immediate ceasefire. They also called for a lifting of the siege that prevents adequate amounts of humanitarian aid into Gaza.
They voiced their rejection against attempts to displace Palestinians from Gaza, emphasizing on "creating a real political climate that leads to a two-state solution," after over 75 years of brutal occupation of the Palestinian people.
However, their concerns have fallen on deaf ears. The Biden administration is stuck in the past, thinking itself immune to criticism from the international community, and the Middle Eastern countries that are key allies of the US, energy providers, and housing some of the largest American military bases in the world.
"Our message is consistent and clear that we believe that it is absolutely necessary to end the fighting immediately," Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan said.
"I certainly would hope that our partners in the US will do more... we certainly believe they can do more," the Saudi minister added.
Before the vote
Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said prior to the UN vote that if the resolution fails, it would be giving a license to Israel "to continue with its massacre".
"Our priority for now is to stop the war, stop the killing, stop the destruction of Gaza's infrastructure," Safadi said, adding, "The message that's being sent is that Israel is acting above international law... and the world is simply not doing much. We disagree with the United States on its position vis-a-vis on the cease-fire."
"The solution is a cease-fire," said Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry,
What can the Arab world do?
Saudi Arabia, Qatar, UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Iraq, Jordan, and Egypt are all stanch American allies. They host some of the largest US military bases on earth. Most of them buy their weapons from the US, and all of them are consumers of very large amounts of products made in the USA. Saudi King Faisal shut-off the oil in support of the Palestinians in the past, but they would never do that now as they are locked into OPEC pumping schedules. But, the Arabs have other leverage they could use to move the US position from blind acquiescence to Israeli orders.
Israeli plan to wipe-out Gaza
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