Illustration: Liu Rui/ GT

Any act that leads to civilian deaths and other humanitarian disasters is an act of evil, and the US, by deliberately indulging in evil, will reignite anti-Americanism in the Middle East and may even draw fire on itself again.

On October 18, the US vetoed the draft resolution calling for a humanitarian pause in the Israel-Hamas war for the second time at the United Nations Security Council. As shown on the official website of the United Nations, the Brazil-drafted text calls for a "humanitarian pauses to allow full, safe and unhindered access." Russia and the UK abstained from the vote, China and 12 other Security Council members voted in favor, while the US cast a veto, once again thwarting the international community's efforts to persuade and promote peace, alleviate the crisis, and cool down the situation in the Middle East. Earlier, the resolution on a humanitarian ceasefire proposed by Russia was also vetoed by the US.

The insistence of the US on thwarting all attempts to achieve a ceasefire, in defiance of the prevailing will of the international community, shows that Washington will continue to exacerbate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and shield Israel from retaliation beyond what is necessary for self-defense. The US is once again tying itself closely to Israel in a manner that is contrary to its strategy of contracting itself from the Middle East and pushing forward the normalization of Israel-Arab relations.

After the outbreak of the Israel-Palestine conflict, the US provided unprecedented public, diplomatic and military support for Israel. Facing such irregular armed forces as Hamas, the US sent two carriers and 2,200 Marines, and planned to provide Israel with $10 billion in military aid. Moreover, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, Central Command head Gen Michael Erik Kurilla and US President Joe Biden visited Israel one after another. This is a rare occurrence and, at least for now, it even puts the crisis in Ukraine on the back burner. 

Although Israel is America's top ally in the Middle East, Hamas is not alone. Hamas has certain supporters in Yemen, Lebanon, Iraq, Syria and Iran, to name a few. 

The lessons the US learned 22 years ago, after the 9/11 attacks, have now been forgotten and the US is making the same mistakes, making enemies everywhere, while nurturing anti-Americanism. 

The partition of Palestine 76 years ago was manipulated by the US. From then until 1982, apart from the Suez Crisis, the US was the protector and backer of Israel's survival in the conflicts, without exception.

The defeats of the Arab countries against Israel have seriously stimulated radicalism, extremism and terrorism in the Middle East. The antipathy and hatred toward Israel have eventually escalated into anti-Americanism and anti-Westernism, making the US the primary enemy of the radical forces in the Middle East.

The issue of Palestine is a matter of law and reason, and its right and wrong is known to all. Israel's long-term illegal occupation of Palestine and its continuous encroachment on its living space have resulted in great and small evils, as well as lasting and sudden pains. 

Encouraging and indulging Israel to aggravate Palestinian suffering will not only drag the US back into the Middle East quagmire and make it the enemy of radical forces, but it will also ultimately trap Israel in a vicious circle of violence and make it difficult for Israel to break free. 

The author is the director of the Institute for Studies on the Mediterranean Rim at Zhejiang International Studies University. opinion@globaltimes.com.cn