Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Monday that he would no longer send a delegation to Washington, following the US’s decision not to veto a UN Security Council resolution on a Gaza ceasefire earlier that day.
The resolution, passed on Monday, calls for an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza during Ramadan, which concludes in two weeks. The US abstained from voting, while the other 14 members voted in favor. The resolution also emphasizes the urgent need for increased aid flow into Gaza and the unconditional release of remaining Israeli hostages.
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Washington’s decision not to veto the resolution was a “clear retreat from the consistent position of the US” since the start of the war, Netanyahu’s office stated, following the UNSC vote.
“This withdrawal hurts both the war effort and the effort to release the hostages,” it explained, “because it gives Hamas hope that international pressure will allow them to accept a cease-fire without the release of our hostages.”
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Netanyahu informed the US on Sunday that he would not dispatch a senior delegation to Washington to discuss Israel’s military strategy in Rafah, Gaza, unless the UNSC vetoed the resolution. In response, US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller expressed surprise and disappointment at Netanyahu’s decision. Despite concerns about the resolution’s failure to condemn the October 7 attack, the US did not veto it because its call for a ceasefire and hostage release aligns with US policy. Miller described the resolution as “non-binding.”
White House spokesperson John Kirby expressed disappointment at the cancellation of the Israeli delegation’s visit, stating that Washington was perplexed because the US abstention does not indicate a change in policy. Kirby emphasized that the US continues to support Israel by providing weapons systems and other capabilities for its defense. Despite international warnings of potential catastrophe, Israel is preparing for a ground assault on Rafah, as over half of Gaza’s population seeks refuge there due to ongoing Israeli bombardment in other areas of the enclave.
