US envoy to UN scrambles to justify vetoes on Palestine's bids at UNSC

US Ambassador to the UN, Linda Thomas Greenfield, has defended using veto against Palestine and in favour of Israel at UN Security Council (UNSC), saying the Washington uses its veto power to protect its interests and she will not apologise for doing it.

Thomas-Greenfield, who was addressing reporters in New York ahead of the general debate at the UN General Assembly (UNGA) next week, was asked whether the US vetoes on truce in Gaza, Palestinian statehood and its UN membership had caused problems.

"We use our veto to promote the interests of the US government, and that's how we've used that veto consistently over many years in the Council," she reacted.

Ironically, she called Russia's use of the veto on the Ukraine war "problematic".

Noting that 133 heads of state and government, three vice presidents, 80 deputy prime ministers, and 45 ministers will participate in the General Assembly, Thomas-Greenfield added, "It feels like we say this every year, but this UNGA could not come at a more critical and more challenging moment."

Global crises and conflicts "only seem to grow," she said, referring to Gaza, Ukraine, Sudan, and Haiti.

Asked how the US plans to protect 133 leaders following two assassination attempts on former US president Donald Trump, Greenfield responded, "Knock on wood, we have never had a security incident related to heads of state here."

Greenfield said the New York Police Department, along with the Secret Service, has taken necessary precautions and emphasised the US' responsibility to protect visiting dignitaries.

'We're not ready to give up on our veto power'

Saying that the US had proposed giving permanent seats to two African nations on the Security Council without veto power to create a more inclusive international system, Thomas-Greenfield said she acknowledges "some issues" with veto usage.

She noted that countries use their veto rights on matters they consider important.

"We've had some serious issues with the use of the veto because we use the veto on issues, all of us, that are of import to us," she said.

Explaining why permanent members are unwilling to relinquish their veto rights and not grant the power to new members, she said it is because "new veto powers would further paralyse the UNSC."

"We're not ready to give up on our veto power, but we're willing to listen to what others have to say on that," she argued.

Palestine's draft resolution submitted to UNGA

On the draft resolution submitted by Palestine, which demands Israel end its presence in the occupied Palestinian territories within 12 months, based on the International Court of Justice (ICJ)'s opinion, Thomas-Greenfield said the US respects the ICJ and will continue cooperation.

Greenfield noted, however, that the Palestinian resolution has a "significant number of flaws" and argued that it would not bring "tangible benefits."

She claimed the resolution would negatively affect work on the ground and impede steps toward a two-state solution.