Hamas Condemns US Veto on Palestine's UN Membership - Statement

TUNIS (Sputnik) - Palestinian movement Hamas on Friday condemned the US veto in the UN Security Council against a proposed resolution on Palestine's full membership in the UN, calling on the world community to support the Palestinians in their right to self-determination.

On Thursday, the UN Security Council convened to discuss and vote on the proposed resolution on Palestine’s full membership in the UN. The United States, which is a permanent member of the UN Security Council, cast a veto against adopting the resolution. The United Kingdom and Switzerland abstained, while all other members of the UN Security Council supported the resolution.

"This [the US veto against the resolution] confirms their position against our Palestinian people, its right to self-determination and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state, as well as their full support for the fascist occupation entity in its deprivation of the rights of our Palestinian people and attempts to dismantle the Palestinian cause," the movement said in a statement.

Hamas added that "the Palestinian people will continue its fight and resistance until it defeats the occupation and establishes its independent, sovereign Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital."

"We condemn in the strongest terms the American position loyal to the occupation regime and call on the international community ... to support the struggle of our Palestinian people and their legitimate right to self-determination," the statement read.

The movement in the statement also thanked all the countries that supported the proposed resolution.

Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz said on Friday that he "commends" the United States for vetoing a United Nations Security Council resolution on Palestine's full membership in the UN.

"The proposal to recognize a Palestinian state, more than 6 months after the largest massacre of Jews since the Holocaust and after the sexual crimes and other atrocities committed by Hamas terrorists was a reward for terrorism. I commend the United States for vetoing this shameful proposal, which was rejected today at the @UN Security Council," Katz said on X.

He further added that "it is outrageous that even half a year after the October 7 massacre, the UN Security Council failed to condemn Hamas horrific crimes," adding that Israel will continue fighting Palestinian movement Hamas until it is "destroyed" and "all 133 hostages in Gaza are released."

Earlier in April, Palestine officially asked the UN Security Council to consider its request for full membership in the UN. The request was supported by the Arab Group, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the Non-Aligned Movement.

On October 7, 2023, Hamas launched a large-scale rocket attack against Israel from Gaza and breached the border, killing 1,200 people and abducting around 240 others. Israel launched retaliatory strikes, ordered a complete blockade of Gaza, and started a ground incursion into the Palestinian enclave with the declared goal of eliminating Hamas fighters and rescuing the hostages.

On November 24, Qatar mediated a deal between Israel and Hamas on a temporary truce and the exchange of some of the prisoners and hostages, as well as the delivery of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip. The ceasefire was extended several times and expired on December 1. More than 100 hostages are still believed to be held by Hamas in Gaza.