The security council vote is a significant moment – but the US says its Gaza policy is unchanged

Diplomacy occasionally has the capacity to surprise, and when it does it often portends a deep shifting in the landscape. Few as recently as the end of last week saw much chance that the UN security council would be able to put aside five months of division over Gaza and agree terms for an immediate ceasefire, yet on Monday that is precisely what happened, in no small part due to some British diplomatic persuasion and a significant American change of heart. As a result the US did not use its veto to block a resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire in…