Robert Wood, deputy US ambassador to the UN, just told the council a ceasefire would “plant to seeds for the next war”:

… This council’s failure to condemn Hamas’s October 7 terrorist attacks, including its acts of sexual violence and other unthinkable evils, is a serious moral failure.

It underscores the fundamental disconnect between the discussions that we have been having in this chamber and the realities on the ground. An undeniable part of that reality is that if Israel unilaterally laid down its weapons today as some member states have called for, Hamas would continue to hold hostages.

Hamas continues to pose a threat to Israel and remain in charge of Gaza. That is not a threat that any one of our governments would allow to continue to remain on our own borders.

For that reason, while the US strongly supports a durable peace, in which both Israelis and Palestinians can live in peace and security, we do not support calls for an immediate ceasefire. This would only plant the seeds for the next war.

[I’m actually a little surprised, and a little impressed. I had worried that the Biden administration would cave to the UN and/or punish Israel by abstaining in order to mollify progressives. Instead, Ambassador Wood spoke truth to the international collection of corruptocrats. Well done. (The UK abstained, which is very lame indeed.) — Ed]