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WASHINGTON ― The United Nations Security Council approved a resolution Monday demanding an immediate cease-fire in Israel’s war in Gaza during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan and the unconditional release of all hostages from Gaza after the U.S. abstained from voting.
The U.S., a steadfast ally of Israel during its war in Gaza, allowed the resolution to move forward by abstaining, making it the first cease-fire resolution to pass the council since the Israel-Hamas war began. The 14 other member nations voted to approve the resolution.
Past efforts to pass similar cease-fire resolutions had failed four times − three were vetoed by the Biden administration.
“Our vote does not − and I repeat that, does not − represent a shift in our policy,” White House national security spokesman John Kirby told reporters shortly after the vote.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that Israel will no longer send a delegation that had planned to meet with Biden administration officials in Washington this week as Israel moves toward a military operation in Rafah in southern Gaza.
“In light of the change in the American position, Prime Minister Netanyahu has decided that the delegation will not travel to the U.S.,” Netanyahu’s office said. “The withdrawal of the U.S. from its position hurts efforts to release the hostages because it gives Hamas hope that international pressure will allow them to accept a cease-fire without the release of our hostages.”
Kirby noted that Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant is already in Washington and said the White House has every expectation that the Rafah will come up during those conversations.
“It’s certainly not ideal that they won’t be coming to D.C., apparently, to have this discussion,” Kirby said of the full delegation.
Why the U.S. did not vote for the cease-fire resolution
Ramadan started March 10 and ends April 9.
Most recently, Russia and China had objected to a U.S.-led resolution Friday for an “immediate and sustained cease-fire” that also condemned Hamas for the Oct. 7 attacks on Israel.
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield pointed to the latest resolution’s lack of language condemning Hamas as the primary reason the U.S. did not vote in favor of it. She blamed Hamas for the failure to achieve a cease-fire deal, which has been under negotiation for weeks.
“We did not agree with everything in the resolution, for that reason we were unfortunately not able to vote yes,” Thomas-Greenfield said. “However, as I’ve said before, we fully support some of the critical objectives in this non-binding resolution, and we believe it was important for the council to speak out and make clear that our cease-fire − any cease-fire − must come with the release of all hostages.”
António Guterres, secretary general of the U.N, applauded the action on the “long-awaited resolution on Gaza,” which also emphasizes “the urgent need to expand the flow” into Gaza.
“This resolution must be implemented. Failure would be unforgivable,” Guterres said in a statement.
The Biden administration has become increasingly at odds with Netanyahu over Israel’s efforts to get humanitarian aid to Palestinian civilians and as he considers a military invasion of Rafah.
Netanyahu has refused Biden’s demand for a two-state solution to the Middle East crisis and has pledged to continue the war in Gaza until Hamas is crushed.
The death toll in Gaza is now at 32,000 since Israel began its war against Hamas following the Oct. 7 attack on Israel, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.
