Veto and Power : A neorealist analysis of the veto use by the great powers during the war in Gaza

This essay is based on the problem that smaller countries become marginalized when an unequal distribution of power arises in the international context. The research analyzes the major powers of the security council use of the veto during the war in Gaza from a neorealist perspective. The purpose is to map patterns in the permanent members use of veto and their justifications for, to draw a conclusion about why they use the veto, knowing it hinders the effectiveness of the security council and marginalizes smaller countries. The security council’s draft resolutions and meeting minutes analyzes to determine whether the major powers use the veto from a defensive (security seeking) or offensive (power maximizing) perspective. The results show that USA, China and Russia all used their vetoes during the war in Gaza against resolution drafts with majority support in the council. The conclusion is that the USA: s and Russia's vetoes were primarily used offensively to maximize their power, while China used it in a defensive way motivated by a desire for peace and security