Tensions between President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reached a nadir on Monday as the United States endorsed a Gaza ceasefire resolution at the United Nations, prompting a sharp condemnation from the Israeli leader. Netanyahu abruptly canceled a planned visit to Washington this week by a senior delegation intended for high-level discussions with the White House regarding alternatives to an Israeli offensive in the southern Gaza city of Rafah. Concerned U.S. officials have been urging Netanyahu for weeks to contemplate a ceasefire and a strategy to transfer security responsibilities in the region back to the Palestinian Authority, which administers the area. This move is feared to prevent a wider humanitarian crisis in the blockaded strip, as reported by two sources familiar with the discussions.
The Security Council voted 14-0 in favor of the nonbinding resolution that also demanded an immediate ceasefire and the unconditional release of all hostages held by Hamas. The vote reflected intense negotiations among the ten non-permanent members of the 15-nation body. U.S. Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield, who took part in the talks, said the U.S. supported some of the critical objectives in the draft but not others, including condemning Hamas and ensuring the delivery of humanitarian aid into Gaza. She also criticized Russia and China for blocking the resolution with their vetoes, saying that was “cynical.”
During a meeting with reporters, Biden dismissed criticism of the U.S.-Israel ties from several senators, including the Democratic leader Chuck Schumer, who on Friday accused the administration of shielding Netanyahu at the world body and urging him to do more to prevent civilian casualties in his country. Biden did not respond directly to the accusation, which some analysts say may have been aimed at his Democratic base as he seeks re-election in 2016.
Analysts say Netanyahu is increasingly willing to test Washington’s tolerance of his bellicosity over his refusal to agree to an immediate truce and a plan to turn over security responsibilities to Palestinian authorities. He is seeking to rally support for his government’s war against Hamas, particularly among the Israeli public that was deeply traumatized by an Oct. 7 attack on the Jewish state that left 1,200 dead.
Amid the growing pressure for a ceasefire, Netanyahu and his aides have been negotiating a deal that could include a pause in the conflict in exchange for the release of all remaining hostages and a commitment to a longer-term settlement, including the creation of a sovereign Palestinian state, according to two sources familiar with the discussions. The negotiations are reportedly at a critical stage, but whether an agreement will be reached is unclear. If no accord is reached, it could lead to a further deterioration of relations between the two longtime allies. They have already clashed publicly over what should happen to the Palestinians when this war ends and on whether to recognize a statehood that would require recognition of Israel.