US vetoes UN resolution on protecting Palestinians

The United States vetoed Friday an Arab-backed UN draft resolution calling for measures to protect the Palestinians but failed to win any backing for its own text condemning Hamas for the violence in Gaza.

The two failed votes at the Security Council came a few hours after a young Palestinian woman was shot dead by Israeli soldiers near the Gaza border fence.

At least 123 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire since the protests began at the end of March. No Israelis have been killed.

US Ambassador Nikki Haley declared that "it is now completely clear that the UN is hopelessly biased against Israel," saying council members were "willing to blame Israel, but unwilling to blame Hamas."

Ten countries, including China, France and Russia voted in favor of the draft put forward by Kuwait on behalf of Arab countries. Four countries -- Britain, Ethiopia, the Netherlands and Poland -- abstained.

The Kuwait-drafted text had called for "measures to guarantee the safety and protection" of Palestinian civilians in Gaza and the occupied West Bank, and requested a UN report on proposals for an "international protection mechanism."

During a second vote, the United States failed to win support for its own rival measure calling on Palestinian militants to halt their protests in Gaza and condemning Hamas.