U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, has defended the United States’ frequent use of its veto power in the U.N. Security Council since the Gaza genocide erupted on October 7, 2023. She emphasized that the veto is a tool employed to safeguard American interests.
The U.S. has exercised its veto five times during this period, rejecting three resolutions calling to stop the bloodshed and for a ceasefire in Gaza, a Russian oral amendment, and a proposal advocating full Palestinian membership in the United Nations.
In an interview with Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, The New Arab’s sister publication, Thomas-Greenfield stated on Tuesday, “The U.S. uses its veto power to promote the interests of the U.S. Government.”
“That’s how we have used that veto consistently over many years in the Council…people think it leads to dysfunction, but for us, it is power that we have, and we do use that power. I’m not going to make any excuses for it. It is something that is within the toolbox of things that we can bring to the table in the Security Council,” she explained.
