By Shi Guannan
师冠男
The United Nations Security Council voted on a draft resolution proposed by Algeria calling for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip on February 20. The US representative exercised a veto on the resolution. Among the 15 members of the UNSC, the US is the only one that voted against it.
当地时间2月20日，联合国安理会就阿尔及利亚提出的“呼吁加沙地带停火”决议草案进行表决，美国代表对草案动用一票否决权。安理会15个成员中，只有美国投出反对票。
This is the fourth time that the US has abused its veto power to obstruct a ceasefire on the Gaza issue. In October and December 2023, the US voted against ceasefire resolutions proposed by Brazil, the United Arab Emirates, and Russia, respectively.
这已是美国在加沙问题上第4次滥用否决权阻挠停火。2023年10月和12月，美国3次投下反对票，接连否决巴西、阿联酋和俄罗斯提出的停火决议草案。
Nearly 30,000 people have been killed in Israeli military operations since the outbreak of a new round of Palestinian-Israeli conflict in October 2023. According to officials from the charity organization Save the Children, nearly 10 children in Gaza "lose one or both legs" every day. The international community has already formed an overwhelming consensus for an immediate ceasefire. Politicians from many countries have called for an immediate ceasefire. Mass demonstrations and rallies were also held in the US, the UK, Belgium, Türkiye and other countries, calling for a "real ceasefire" as soon as possible.
2023年10月，新一轮巴以冲突爆发以来，已有近3万人命丧以色列军事行动。据慈善组织“救助儿童会”官员称，加沙每天有近10名儿童“失去一条或两条腿”。国际社会对立即停火早已形成压倒性共识，多国政要呼吁尽快停火，美国、英国、比利时、土耳其等多国也爆发民众游行集会，呼吁尽快“真正停火”。
In the face of such widespread consensus and calls, the US, which always styles itself as the "international police" and "defender of human rights," has repeatedly obstructed ceasefire efforts, disregarding the safety of the people in the Gaza Strip. Why?
面对普遍共识与呼声，向来自诩“国际警察”“人权卫士”的美国，却不顾加沙地带民众生命安全，一再阻挠停火止战，居心何在？
First, the US considers Israel a core ally and maintaining regional military dominance of Israel is a core aspect of its Middle East policy. To safeguard Israel's "vital interests," the US aligns its position on the Gaza issue with Israel's. Following the outbreak of the conflict, senior US officials such as Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Secretary of State Antony Blinken have repeatedly stated unwavering support for Israel, pledging to provide "whatever is necessary" to support Israel. The White House, the US Congress, and the Department of Defense, have facilitated arms sales to Israel and provided military assistance through various means such as "emergency authorizations" and legislation. Some analysts believe that the US' repeated vetoing of ceasefire proposals is aimed at helping Israel gain more space and time on the battlefield.
首先，美国将以色列视为核心盟友，将维护以地区军事霸权视为美国中东政策的核心内容。为维护以色列的“重要利益”，美国在加沙问题上的立场与以保持大体一致。冲突爆发后，美国防长奥斯汀、国务卿布林肯等高官多次表示美对以支持“坚如磐石”，将为以提供“所需的一切”；美国白宫、国会、国防部等以“紧急授权”、通过法案等多种方式对以军售和提供军事援助。有分析认为，美国多次下场否决促和草案，是为助以在战场上赢得更多空间和时间。
Second, the US has long been keen on maintaining offshore balancing, continually sowing discord and inciting confrontation among regional countries to make profits in conflicts and maintain its hegemony. Since the end of World War II, the US has supported Israel to counterbalance regional countries, and instigated religious conflicts between Sunni and Shia Muslims, resulting in prolonged warfare and leaving millions homeless in the Middle East. Therefore, the US firmly controlled the region's energy resources.
其次，美国长期热衷于搞“离岸平衡”，不断通过在地区国家间制造矛盾、挑动对立，来方便美国乱中取利、维持霸权。二战结束后，美国扶植以色列制衡地区国家，挑动逊尼派与什叶派国家宗教冲突，导致中东长期战火纷飞、数百万人沦为难民，但美国却牢牢掌控了中东能源。
Third, the relevant decisions of the Biden administration are influenced and constrained by American Jews and military-industrial enterprises. Jews are the largest ethnic minority in the US and one of the most important donors to the Democratic Party and they are crucial to Biden's victory in the 2024 presidential election. According to a November 2023 poll by National Public Radio (NPR), 80 percent of Jews support the US to increase military aid to Israel. In addition, the US military industry has benefited a lot from the Gaza conflict. The Biden administration has repeatedly asked Congress to pass special budget bills to increase the budget of military assistance to Ukraine, Israel and other countries by USD 105 billion, a large part of which flow into US military-industrial enterprises.
再次，拜登政府相关决策受到美国犹太裔和军工企业的影响和牵制。犹太裔是美国最大少数族裔和民主党最重要的“金主”之一，对拜登赢得2024年总统大选至关重要。而据美国全国公共广播电台（NPR）2023年11月的一项民调显示，80%的犹太裔支持美国加大对以军援。此外，美国军工企业在加沙冲突中“获益良多”，拜登政府多次要求国会通过特别预算法案，主要用于对乌克兰、以色列等国增加1050亿美元预算，其中很大一部分资金将流入美国军工企业。
The US' indulgence of Israel's use of force for its own interests not only faces increasing pressure domestically and internationally but also exposes once again the double standards and hypocrisy of " American human rights".
美国为一己私利纵容以色列滥用武力的做法，不仅面临国内外越来越大的压力，也再次印证了“美式人权”的双标和虚伪。
On the one hand, the Biden administration's "aiding and abetting" has been opposed by more and more people. A Gallup poll in January 2024 showed that nearly 30 percent of respondents in the US believe that "the US supports Israel too much." The international community, especially the vast majority of Arab and Islamic countries, has repeatedly expressed strong dissatisfaction, with many countries such as the United Arab Emirates and Russia criticizing the US for ignoring the huge civilian casualties in the conflict.
一方面，拜登政府的“助纣为虐”遭到越来越多的人反对。“盖洛普”2024年1月民调显示，近30%美国受访者表示“美国对以支持做得太过”。国际社会，尤其是广大阿拉伯国家和伊斯兰国家也多次表达强烈不满，阿联酋、俄罗斯等多国批评美方罔视冲突导致平民伤亡。
On the other hand, the US approach has once again proved the hypocrisy of " American human rights". The US claims that the UNSC resolution will interfere with ongoing diplomatic efforts, which is completely unfounded. Under the current circumstances, remaining passive and evasive on the issue of an immediate ceasefire is tantamount to giving the green light to constant killing. The spillover of conflicts has destabilized the entire Middle East, and the risk of wider war is rising.
另一方面，美国做法也再次自证“美式人权”的虚伪。美国声称安理会决议会干扰正在开展的外交努力，这种说法完全站不住脚。当前形势下，在立即停火问题上仍然消极回避，无异于为继续杀戮大开绿灯。冲突外溢使整个中东地区动荡不安，更大范围的战争风险正在上升。
Currently, hot-spot issues such as the Lebanon-Israel border conflict and the crisis in the Red Sea region continue to flare up, with the increasing risk of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict spilling over, and the US military is facing growing pressure worldwide. If the US continues to act in its own interests, its policy will inevitably backfire and bring self-inflicted harm to the US.
当前，黎以边境冲突、红海危机等地区热点问题此起彼伏，巴以局势外溢风险日益上升，美军在全球多地压力大增。若美国仍为私利一意孤行，必将引火烧身、搬石砸脚。
(The author is an assistant researcher at the Institute of American Studies, China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations.)
(作者为中国现代国际关系研究院美国研究所助理研究员)
