A UN resolution is a formal expression of the will or opinion of the UN’s principal organs. These resolutions may be substantive or procedural and can address a wide variety of topics. Resolutions can be binding or non-binding, depending on the nature of the issue and the wording of the resolution. Resolutions can be adopted by the Security Council, the General Assembly or other UN bodies.
For example, resolutions can call for a ban on nuclear weapons, for a withdrawal of forces from the occupied territories, for compensation to victims of mass atrocities and other matters. The US has long advocated that UN resolutions be a tool to achieve peace and security and that they should be used sparingly and for specific issues.
The United States has been increasingly using its veto and abstaining from resolutions condemning Israel over the past two decades, but there is no evidence that the US has become “softer” on Israel. In fact, it has been a major contributor to the shift away from resolutions against Israel toward a more focused use of vetoes and abstentions.
The US has vetoed this resolution, which calls for an immediate ceasefire during the month of Ramadan leading to a sustainable and lasting ceasefire, and demands the release of hostages by Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups. The resolution also draws a false equivalence between Israel and Hamas and fails to acknowledge the failure of previous aid efforts that allowed Hamas to enrich itself at the expense of Palestinian civilians and failed to deliver basic food and water supplies.
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