A United Nations resolution is a formal expression of the will of the members of the UN, adopted by a majority vote in a General Assembly or Security Council meeting. Resolutions are not legally binding on the member states, but may have some legal implications if they are dealing with important questions of international peace and security, the admission or expulsion of members of the UN, the operation of the trusteeship system, the right to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes or financial and other matters relating to the activities of the UN. Resolutions are usually issued in the form of individual documents, but may also be found in annual or sessional compilations.
The United Nations Security Council is the principal organ responsible for assessing and responding to threats to international peace and security. It is composed of five permanent members and ten elected members that meet regularly to consider global issues of concern such as civil wars, natural disasters, arms proliferation, terrorism, and other global threats. The Council’s most powerful instrument is the veto, which allows any of its members to block the adoption of a resolution, regardless of the level of support from other nations. The US voted against this resolution because it does not call on Hamas to renounce terrorism and recognize Israel’s sovereignty over the Gaza Strip, West Bank, and East Jerusalem. The performative action of the draft’s formulation, designed to draw a veto, undermines the delicate diplomatic efforts underway to bring about a ceasefire in Gaza.