​​​​HAMILTON, Canada

US Ambassador to the UN, Linda Thomas Greenfield, said Washington uses its UN Security Council (UNSC) veto to protect its interests and she will not apologize for doing it.

Thomas-Greenfield addressed reporters in New York ahead of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) next week and noted that 133 heads of state and government, three vice presidents, 80 deputy prime ministers and 45 ministers will participate in the General Assembly.

"It feels like we say this every year, but this UNGA could not come at a more critical and more challenging moment," she said.

Global crises and conflicts "only seem to grow," she said, referring to Ukraine, Sudan, Haiti and the Gaza Strip.

Greenfield noted the US' three priorities for the General Assembly -- working with member states on threats to international peace and security, addressing humanitarian crises and creating a more inclusive and effective international system.

Asked how the US plans to protect 133 leaders following two assassination attempts on former US President Donald Trump, Greenfield responded, "Knock on wood, we have never had a security incident related to heads of state here."

Greenfield said the New York Police Department, along with the Secret Service, has taken necessary precautions and emphasized the US' responsibility to protect visiting dignitaries.

'We're not ready to give up on our veto power'

Saying that the US had proposed giving permanent seats to two African nations on the Security Council without veto power to create a more inclusive international system, Thomas-Greenfield said she acknowledges "some issues" with veto usage.

She noted that countries use their veto rights on matters they consider important.

"We've had some serious issues with the use of the veto because we use the veto on issues, all of us, that are of import to us," she said.

Explaining why permanent members are unwilling to relinquish their veto rights and not grant the power to new members, she said it is because "new veto powers would further paralyze the UNSC."

"We're not ready to give up on our veto power, but we're willing to listen to what others have to say on that," she noted.

Greenfield further called Russia’s use of the veto on Ukraine as "problematic" and, when asked whether the US vetoes on the Palestinian issue had caused problems, she replied: "We use our veto to promote the interests of the US government, and that's how we've used that veto consistently over many years in the Council."

"Some think it leads to dysfunction, but it is a power we have, and we use it. I’m not going to make excuses for it," she added.

Greenfield said the US wants to see peace in the Middle East and President Joe Biden is making every effort to achieve that goal.

While expressing the US support for Israel's right to self-defense, Thomas-Greenfield said, "That doesn’t mean we want to see this war continue."

Palestine's draft resolution submitted to UNGA

On the draft resolution submitted by Palestine, which demands Israel end its presence in the occupied Palestinian territories within 12 months, based on the International Court of Justice (ICJ)'s opinion, Thomas-Greenfield said the US respects the ICJ and will continue cooperation.

Greenfield noted, however, that the Palestinian resolution has a "significant number of flaws" and argued that it would not bring "tangible benefits."

She claimed the resolution would negatively affect work on the ground and impede steps toward a two-state solution.