The Cost Of A Veto: America Cannot Continue As Israel’s Shield At The United Nations

As the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly opens this week, Washington faces a bleak reality: America’s global standing is increasingly being used to shield a single foreign nation — Israel. For decades, the United States has used its permanent veto power in the UN Security Council as a diplomatic shield for this sole purpose.

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The Security Council is comprised of 15 member states. The Permanent Five members are the victors of World War II: the US, UK, France, China, and Russia. These five hold veto power. The remaining 10 seats are occupied by rotating, non-permanent members elected by the General Assembly.

This veto mechanism was designed to maintain global stability. Instead, Washington’s actions have shifted the equilibrium towards isolationism and biased implementation. The United States has used its veto power dozens of times to block Security Council resolutions concerning Israel. As the conflict in Gaza has unfolded, the Biden and Trump administrations have repeatedly faced international criticism for vetoing or opposing Security Council resolutions concerning ceasefires and humanitarian assistance.

Washington has effectively handed Israel a diplomatic blank check, shielding the nation from meaningful consequences at the Security Council even as its military campaigns draw mounting international condemnation. This seemingly unconditional protection undermines the “rules-based international order” that the UN was established to uphold.

And the cost of globalism now boomerangs back home. This distortion of American power raises a critical question: If the political apparatus in Washington, regardless of party, is busy protecting another nation’s interests, who is responsible for American citizens and the other countries we call allies?

Washington is effectively dismantling its remaining soft power for Israel. The establishment’s insistence on putting a foreign nation’s military ambitions ahead of global stability and domestic well-being is a betrayal of the “America First” principle that MAGA initially championed. Global responsibility does not mean acting as an untouchable bodyguard for a reckless ally; it means enforcing even-handed accountability and prioritizing peace and stability.

Last year, Benjamin Netanyahu’s address at the UN was met with boos and jeers, as well as a mass walkout by national representatives. A total of 77 countries were either absent from the chamber or walked out. This visual of rows of empty seats at this forum only highlighted the growing rift between the US-Israel alliance and the rest of the world.

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to address world leaders at the High-Level General Debate later this month. The international community may once again demand an end to what it perceives as a double standard.

Israel’s relationship with the United Nations has deteriorated sharply in recent years, with Israeli officials accusing UN bodies of antisemitism. Israel has also taken steps to restrict or sever cooperation with individual UN agencies and bodies, including UNRWA and UN human-rights institutions. The widening dispute is indicative of the broader breakdown in relations between Israel and much of the international organization.

The White House’s first responsibility is to the American people. Alliances should be maintained when they advance mutually shared interests, not when they require Washington to sacrifice its credibility, diplomatic leverage, and standing on the global stage.

If “America First” is to mean anything, Washington must be willing to put American interests and credibility first.

Avi Kumar is a freelance journalist of Sri Lankan origin who has lived in many places and speaks 11 languages. He writes about world affairs.

The views and opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author and do not reflect the official position of the Daily Caller.

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