Israel cancels White House visit after US fails to block UN ceasefire vote
| Published date | 26 March 2024 |
| Author | FELICIA SCHWARTZ |
| Publication title | Irish Times (Dublin, Ireland) |
In the first such demand since the war began in October, the resolution called for an immediate cessation of hostilities for the holy month of Ramadan, of which two weeks remain.
Ron Dermer and Tzachi Hanegbi, members of Israel’s war cabinet and close confidants of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, had been due to travel to the US to discuss the looming invasion of Rafah, which Washington opposes.
But Israel called off the visit after the resolution was passed, the latest in a series of public rifts between the White House and Mr Netanyahu over how Israel has conducted its military campaign against Hamas.
“In light of the change in the American position, Prime Minister Netanyahu has decided that the delegation will not travel to the US,” Mr Netanyahu’s office said.
Shields Israel Washington traditionally shields Israel from UN votes it opposes and had so far blocked efforts to call for an unconditional ceasefire.
On Friday, Russia and China vetoed a US-sponsored resolution that linked “an immediate and sustained ceasefire” of at least six weeks to the release of the hostages. In contrast, yesterday’s measure demanded the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages held by Hamas, but did not link this to the call for a ceasefire, drawing immediate condemnation from Mr Netanyahu.
“[This vote] gives Hamas hope that international pressure will allow them to accept a ceasefire without the release of our abductees,” he said.
Hamas is holding more than 100 Israelis captive. Some 1,200 people were killed in Israel, according to local authorities, and at least 32,000 Palestinians – most of them women and children – have been killed in Gaza in five months of war, according to Palestinian health officials.
Talks for a second round of Israeli hostage-for-Palestinian prisoner swaps are stalled, mainly over a disagreement on the length of the ceasefire that Israel and Hamas would agree to in order to facilitate the exchange.
“This resolution must be implemented. Failure would be unforgivable,” UN secretary general António Guterres wrote on X after the vote passed.
Hamas said it welcomed the call for an immediate cessation of hostilities, stressing “the...
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