By Afshain Afzal

It was the fourth time that the US vetoed the UNSC Resolution demanding an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. On the occasion, the US deputy envoy said during the session in New York, “We made clear throughout negotiations that we could not support an unconditional ceasefire that failed to release the hostages.” This irresponsible attitude cannot be expected from the US projecting itself as the world leader.

President-elect Donald Trump will be sworn into office on 20 January 2025. We expect Mr Trump to preserve, protect and defend the American Constitution but at the same President-elect Trump and his Cabinet should never forget that being a man of principles and protector of the Christian faith he has to follow Article VI, Clause 3 of the Constitution, “no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States”. To bring any change in American policy, a Constitutional Amendment would be required. 

The First Amendment provides that Congress make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting its free exercise. However, the rumours are audible in certain circles inside the Oval and the Pentagon that Mr Trump will also follow President Biden’s policy to use law or Veto power to allow the coercive imposition of Judaism, Christianity or alien religions in Palestine or elsewhere. The lines that President Joseph Biden followed by becoming party to war crimes and genocide of Palestinians must be discontinued to allow acceptance of America's peace role in the regions. Despite condemnations, the notorious US support to the Israeli Army to impose Judaism on the orthodox Muslim Palestinians continued by funding, arming and assisting rather deploying American soldiers to carry out genocide alongside of Israelis in Gaza and elsewhere especially against Hamas and like-minded Muslims.

The American leadership under Mr Trump must understand the dynamics of Middle East politics where bogus claims of assistance by Iran, and groups in Yemen and Lebanon to Hamas are being made to allow Israeli and Western forces to take revenge from Palestinians and engage in military deployment and destruction of Gaza. If these Muslim nations are concerned about Palestinians why don't they send their ground air and naval forces to land inside Israel and Palestinian territories to expel and destroy enemy forces? Washington must discontinue aid to Tel Aviv to prevent disaster and genocide as well as implement arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court against Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu and his Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Palestinian leaders about whom Israel claims they killed all. Instead of focusing on Muslim nations staging drama of war against Israel who are neither representatives of Hamas nor Palestinians, Washington must engage Saudi Arabia and Turkey to implement independence of Palestine so that Jews and Muslims of the region can live with peace and harmony.