This Tuesday, the U.S. blocked a U.N. Security Council resolution that called for an investigation into the killings that took place at the Gaza border this Monday.
As the Israeli news outlet Haaretz reports, the U.N. resolution expressed “outrage and sorrow” over the violence and called for an “independent and transparent” investigation. At least 58 people were killed during the violence, the youngest being 14-years-old.
More than 1,200 people were wounded.
As the protests raged on Monday, a U.S. delegation headed by Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner attended the inauguration ceremony of the new U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem just 50 miles away from the clashes. It was the regions bloodiest event since the 2014 Gaza war.
The U.N. resolution was drafted by Kuwait and it’s not known if any Security Council members other than the U.S. rejected it.’
BREAKING: 2 Palestinians were killed today by Israeli gunfire during protests on the Gaza border. pic.twitter.com/Db8F3DxRh7
— AJ+ (@ajplus) May 15, 2018
According to the Trump administration, the responsibility for the protesters’ deaths lay squarely with Hamas.
“The responsibility for these tragic deaths rests squarely with Hamas. Hamas is intentionally and cynically provoking this response,” White House deputy press secretary Raj Shah told reporters on Monday. “We shouldn’t lose sight of the fact that Hamas is the one that, frankly, bears responsibility for the entire situation right now.”
But that sentiment isn’t shared by other countries. As The Hill points out, German government spokesperson Steffen Seibert said on Tuesday that the violence “concerns us greatly and it’s terrible that so many people lost their lives, including minors.” That statement was echoed by Belgian prime minister Charles Michel, who called Israel’s actions “unacceptable violence,” adding that “there is a clear lack of proportionality and we are asking for an international investigation.”
Additionally, South Africa recalled its ambassador to Israel in response to the killings.
Featured image via Twitter
