UNITED NATIONS: Pakistan on Friday described the US veto of a Gaza ceasefire resolution as a “dark moment” and urged the United States to reconsider its position.
On Thursday, the United States vetoed a UN Security Council resolution that would have called for an unconditional ceasefire in Gaza and demanded that Israel lift all restrictions on aid deliveries to the besieged Palestinian enclave. Pakistan expressed “profound regret” over the veto, particularly against a resolution focused solely on humanitarian concerns.
Pakistan’s Ambassador to the UN, Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, voiced deep regret over the US action, stating, “On the eve of the 80th General Assembly Session and the High-Level Week, and at the 10,000th meeting—what a dark moment in this Chamber.”
“What prevented the Council from acting was the exercise of the veto,” the Pakistani envoy asserted. “That carries a heavy responsibility. And that is where the apology must lie.”
“In moments of such grave human suffering, preventing the Council from fulfilling its mandate risks enabling the continuation of that suffering. Those who have chosen this course must review their position,” he added.
Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad emphasized the dire situation in Gaza, where people are caught between relentless bombardment and a suffocating blockade. He said, “In that grim setting, today’s failure sends a dangerous message: that the lives of two million besieged Palestinians are deemed expendable and can be subordinated to political considerations.”
