U.S. Vetoes U.N. Resolution as Gaza Inquiry Accuses Israel of Genocide
UNITED NATIONS – A draft resolution in the U.N. Security Council, calling for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages held by Hamas and other groups, failed after the United States cast its veto. The text, prepared by 10 of the 15 council members, had received 14 votes in favor. This marks the sixth time Washington has used its veto power since the nearly two-year conflict between Israel and Hamas began.
The veto came the same week a United Nations Commission of Inquiry concluded that Israel has committed genocide in Gaza — a finding Israel rejected as biased and unsupported by credible evidence.
WHAT DID THE INQUIRY FIND?
After nearly two years of investigations, including interviews with victims, witnesses, and medical staff, as well as the study of open-source data and satellite imagery, the panel concluded that Israeli authorities and security forces showed “genocidal intent to destroy, in whole or in part, the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.”
The commission stated that Israel is responsible for failing to prevent genocide, committing genocide, and failing to punish genocide. It accused Israel of committing four of the five acts that define genocide:
Killing Palestinians
Inflicting serious physical and mental harm
Creating conditions intended to destroy the population
Imposing measures to prevent births
The findings align with similar conclusions previously reached by genocide scholars and human rights organizations.
WHAT EVIDENCE WAS PRESENTED?
The report cites widespread civilian killings, restrictions on humanitarian aid, mass displacement, and destruction of medical infrastructure — including a fertility clinic — as evidence of genocidal actions.
It also highlighted public statements from top Israeli officials as indicators of intent. These included:
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s 2023 letter to soldiers described as referencing a “holy war of total annihilation.”
Former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant’s declaration of a complete siege on Gaza, referring to Palestinians as “human animals.”
President Isaac Herzog’s October 14, 2023, remarks that “an entire nation” was responsible.
Herzog rejected the report’s interpretation of his words, while Netanyahu and Gallant did not respond to requests for comment.
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