U.N. Security Council Faces Criticism for Handling of Gaza and Ukraine Crises

The United States was the only country to vote against a proposed U.N. Security Council resolution calling for "humanitarian pauses" in Israel's bombing of Gaza, highlighting the U.S.'s use of its veto power to prevent action on Israel and Palestine. The Security Council's veto power, held by the five permanent members (U.S., Russia, China, France, and the U.K.), has long been criticized for hindering the council's ability to address global conflicts. Efforts to reform the veto power have been proposed, but the chances of success remain slim.