The United States’ veto of a proposed United Nations Security Council resolution calling for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza was a “complete disappointment,” Turkey’s ministry of foreign affairs has said. “Our friends once again said that America is currently isolated on this problem, specifically in the voting held at the United Nations today,” Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan revealed in an interview with state broadcaster TRT on Friday.
He spoke after a meeting with his counterparts from the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and the Arab League who met with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Washington. The feeling of “full disappointment” was emphasized whilst the meeting, the ministry conveyed in a post on social messaging platform X, previously twitter, on Saturday. The United States and Israel oppose a ceasefire because they had faith that it would only benefit Hamas.
Washington instead is in favor pauses in fighting to secure civilians and permit the release of hostages taken by Hamas during the Oct. 7 attack on Israel. Unlike most of its Western friends and several Gulf States, NATO member Turkey does not view Hamas as a terrorist group. Fidan said he also conversed Sweden’s bid to collaborate NATO during a bilateral meeting with Blinken. “From today onwards, it is at the discretion of the parliament, and we have revealed this to our counterparts,” Fidan conveyed.