The United Nations Security Council was able to pass a resolution this week demanding an immediate but very temporary ceasefire in Gaza. That ceasefire was only intended to last through the end of Ramadan, which is expected to end on April 9. Thus, even if Israel, Hamas, and the various other fighters in Gaza stopped all the shooting, bombing, rocket fire, and the rest of the ugliness, it would only have lasted barely two weeks.
Of course, the fighting did not cease, or even slow down, in the wake of the resolution. The obvious question, then, is, what was the point?
For most of the Security Council, the desire to be on the record calling for a stop to the slaughter in Gaza was the main motivation. And it should not be lost that all ten of the non-permanent members of the Council came together to sponsor this resolution. But why did the United States abstain rather than veto the resolution, as it had done to three prior resolutions calling for a ceasefire in Gaza? …..more