Recently, the United States vetoed the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolution on Jerusalem. Many probably would want to know why.
Here are some of the reasons.
Chapter V (the Security Council) of the UN Charter outlines the structure of UNSC’s two-tier membership: five permanent members (P-5) and 10 non-permanent members.
Permanent members are the US, the United Kingdom, Russia, China and France.
Veto means the “right to
say no”, known otherwise as the rule of the “Great Power Unanimity”.
For one thing, veto vote illustrates how international power axis competes against each other for unilateral freedom of action to resolve their incompatible interests and preferences.
To pass a draft resolution, UNSC requires a minimum of nine votes out of the 15 UNSC members of which must include the concurring votes of all P-5.
However, the most important thing about the UNSC vote is
that none of the P-5 vetoes the vote.
As such, even though a United Nations Peacekeeping Operation secures 14 votes out of the maximum 15, it will be rendered void once a member of the P-5 exercises its veto power.
Therefore, whether all 10 non-permanent members vote unanimously in favour of a resolution, it will count as none if one of the P-5 vetoes it.
Each of the P-5 of the UNSC has the equal right to veto a draft resolution.
It underlines the fact that the world, through UNSC, is subject to the discretion of the P-5.
Global Policy Forum has come up with a table that summarises the voting pattern of the P-5 (1946-2010).
The table shows that Russia/the Soviet Union had used its veto the most, that is, 125 times, followed by the US (82), Britain (32), France (18) and China (seven), bringing the total to 264 times.
About 92 per cent (241) of the veto votes were used during the Cold War, with the remaining eight per cent (22) used in the post-Cold War era (until 2010).
During the Cold War, Soviet Union was the highest user, that is, 119 times.
However, in the post-Cold War era, Russia, as the successor of Soviet Union, had used its veto only six times since 1992.
As for the US, 14 of its veto votes came in the post-Cold War era. In fact, 13 of the 14
votes were used in favour of Israel’s interests.
These veto votes prevented the UNSC from adopting resolutions condemning Israeli settlements in East Jerusalem, demanding the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, illegalising the construction of a security wall in the West Bank and the sending of UN Military Observer Mission to Palestine in 2001.
On Dec 18 last year, the US again vetoed a UNSC resolution — in favour of Israel — over the status of Jerusalem as the capital city of Israel.
Inevitably, the use of veto reflects certain structural power configuration of the post-Cold War era.
One needs to accept the fact that the US is the only superpower left in this era. As the sole superpower, it acts like one.
Many would not have agreed with this contention.
Joseph S. Nye Jr might want to revisit his thesis in his book, The Paradox of American Power: Why the World’s Only Superpower Can’t Go It Alone (2002).
Nevertheless, John J. Mear-sheimer and Stephen Walt in their book, The Israel Lobby and US Foreign Policy (2008),
prove just how the US is acting exactly like a sole superpower would.
As far as Israel or Jerusalem is concerned, veto vote acts like a mirror of what geostrategy means to the US today.
More than ever, one should know that it is the US which is calling the shots the world over.
Dr Asri Salleh and Tony Paridi Bagang, Senior lecturers, Faculty of Administrative Science and Policy Studies, UiTM Sabah