U.S. Support for Israel Falters With UN Resolution Vote
In a surprising move, on March 25, 2024, the U.S. abstained during a UN Security Council vote that called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. The shocking move has now allowed a ceasefire resolution to pass 14-0, marking it as the council’s first successful ceasefire measure (The Washington Post). The abstention follows growing tensions between Israel and the U.S. as President Biden has begun to express his faltering support of Israel’s action in Gaza.
While Biden has continued to proclaim that he supports the overall efforts of Israel in eliminating the threat of terrorism, he has made it clear that he does not support what he called the “indiscriminate bombing that [is taking] place” (CNN). Biden has also commented on the lack of flexibility the Israeli government has and how it is impacting America’s ability to work with Prime Minister Netanyahu. His comment about the Israeli government comes after Netanyahu has stated that a resolution to the ongoing war does not involve a two-state solution (CNN). Netanyahu has also stated the U.S. and Israel do not agree with each other on resolutions.
Netanyahu referenced the Oslo Accords in a recent discussion of what will happen following the war. The Oslo Accords is a series of agreements that implemented the Palestinian Authority (PA) as the main form of governance in Gaza. In 2007, the PA was driven out of their position by Hamas, the group that has been ruling over Gaza since. Biden has stated he believes the PA should resume their role as a government after the war (CNN).
Netanyahu warned the U.S. that if they did not veto the most recent ceasefire resolution, he would pull the visitation of an Israeli delegation that was set to visit Washington, D.C. (CNBC). He followed through on the threat, cancelling the visit on Monday evening. The abstention of the vote has only illuminated the widening gap of support for Israel by not only the U.S., but other countries that had previously expressed support. The U.S. has denied that their abstention does not mark a shift in policy, but there are arguments that it has.
