MOSCOW, April 19 (Xinhua) -- Washington found itself in almost complete isolation following its vote against the UN Security Council's recommendation to grant Palestine membership in the organization, a Russian envoy said Thursday.
Earlier, the United States vetoed a resolution recommending that the General Assembly admit Palestine to the United Nations. Britain and Switzerland abstained while the remaining members of the Security Council voted in favor.
"Today, the absolute majority of the world community supports Palestine's application for admission to full membership of the world organization. The suffering of Palestinian civilians resonates in the hearts and souls of millions of people around the world," said Russian Permanent Representative to the United Nations Vasily Nebenzya at a Security Council meeting.
"Today's use of the veto by the U.S. delegation is a fruitless attempt to stop the inexorable course of history. The voting results, when Washington found itself almost completely isolated, speak for themselves," he said.
The United States, he said, is ready to turn a blind eye to Israel's crimes against civilians in Gaza until the last moment and not notice the illegal settlement activity in the West Bank.
"The goal is to break the will of the Palestinians, force them to unconditionally submit to the occupying power, turn them into servants and second-class citizens, and perhaps, completely eliminate them from their native territory," Nebenzya said.
"Indulging in the most reckless actions of its ally, unwillingness to find fair solutions based on the existing international legal framework is a direct path to further descent into the abyss of war, which could engulf the entire region. If the United States and Israel benefit from this, it will only be short-term," he noted.
By these actions, Washington would ultimately exclude itself from the circle of peace-loving and respected states, sharing full responsibility with its Israeli allies for the deaths of tens of thousands of peaceful Palestinians, the Russian envoy said.
"This is unworthy of a great power and history will not forgive you for this. We urge the United States to listen to the voice of reason, think about the consequences of its decisions and immediately join the efforts of the other Security Council members to establish an immediate ceasefire in Gaza," he concluded. ■
