Joe Lauria
Consortium News / September 18, 2025
The Council will meet on September 18, 2pm EDT to vote on an immediate ceasefire resolution in Gaza that the U.S. is expected to veto against the wishes of the other 14 Council members.
As it has done five times before, the United States is expected on Thursday afternoon to defy the will of the U.N. Security Council and veto a resolution calling for an end to the hostilities in Gaza.
The resolution “demands an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire in Gaza respected by all parties,” AFP reported. It also calls for increased delivery of humanitarian aid and unconditional release of hostages.
The French news agency quoted an unnamed diplomat saying the vote is being taking to force Washington’s hand and expose its support for Israel’s attacks to continue.
“Not even trying just makes it too easy for the US, (in) that they don’t have to justify (it) and confront 14 members of the council and the world public,” the diplomat said. “It doesn’t help much the Palestinians on the ground but at least we keep showing that we are trying.”
The United States confronts a growing wall of resistance as worldwide condemnation of Israel spreads. This week a U.N.-commissioned panel concluded that Israel was committing genocide in Gaza.
The International Court of Justice ruled last year that Israel was plausibly guilty of genocide as the world continues to await its final judgement. These are the previous five times the U.S. vetoed a ceasefire resolution in Gaza:
- December 8, 2023: The U.S. vetoed a resolution drafted by the United Arab Emirates and supported by Arab states, which demanded an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza. This was the first such veto.
- February 20, 2024: The U.S. vetoed an Algerian-drafted resolution calling for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire and unrestricted humanitarian access to Gaza. This marked the second veto.
- November 2, 2024: The U.S. vetoed a resolution proposed by the 10 elected Security Council members, demanding an immediate ceasefire tied to hostage release and full humanitarian access. This was the third veto.
- November 20, 2024: The U.S. vetoed another resolution (also backed by the 10 elected members) calling for an “immediate, unconditional, and permanent ceasefire” in Gaza, along with hostage release and aid access. This was the fourth veto.
- June 4, 2025: The U.S. vetoed a resolution demanding an “immediate, unconditional, and permanent ceasefire,” hostage release, and unhindered aid, arguing it failed to condemn Hamas or require its disarmament. This was the fifth veto.
Joe Lauria – special to Consortium News
