The UN Se­cu­ri­ty Coun­cil has passed a res­o­lu­tion de­mand­ing an im­me­di­ate cease­fire in Gaza for the month of Ramadan. The vote, which saw last minute delays over wording had 14 members vote in favour, with the US abstaining.

The U.N. Security Council adopted a resolution Monday calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. The United States abstained after “certain key edits were ignored, including our request to add a condemnation of Hamas,” according to Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield. pic.twitter.com/p47XmWck3F

— Newsweek (@Newsweek) March 25, 2024

Source: Al Jazeera

Israel’s far-right finance minister is being quoted by local broadcaster Channel 7 as saying that “the US decision not to impose a veto in the Security Council plays into Hamas’s hands”, and will ultimately make the return of Israeli captives held in Gaza more difficult.

Israel’s far-right finance minister is being quoted by local broadcaster Channel 7 as saying that “the US decision not to impose a veto in the Security Council plays into Hamas’s hands”, and will ultimately make the return of Israeli captives held in Gaza more difficult.

Earlier, the US abstained during a vote in the UN Security Council on a resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza until the end of Ramadan and the release of all captives. The US vetoed three prior attempts to achieve similar resolutions since the war on Gaza began on October 7.

• “Our relationship with the US has always been one of partners, but not of a patron state. This is not the first time that an Israeli government has been required to make decisions contrary to the US government’s position” Bezalel Smotrich said, adding that Israel will “not stop” its war on Gaza until Hamas is destroyed and all of its captives held there are returned.

UNSC resolution must be ‘immediately implemented’: HRW

• Omar Shakir, Israel and Palestine director at Human Rights Watch, says: “States should use all forms of leverage – including imposing arms embargo and targeted sanctions on Israel – to press it to comply. The lives of millions of Palestinians hang in the balance.”

It is critical that the UN Security Council resolution passed today is immediately implemented. States should use all forms of leverage—including imposing arms embargo & targeted sanctions on Israel—to press it to comply. The lives of millions of Palestinians hang in the balance. https://t.co/VS5yFgzlZz

— Omar Shakir (@OmarSShakir) March 25, 2024

Israel is not happy, also seeing in this an example of the Biden White House essentially caving to pro-Palestinian demands. Later in the morning on Monday it is being widely reported that PM Netanyahu has halted a planned visit to Washington by an Israeli delegation.

The two allies were expected to discuss current tensions surrounding a Rafah ground offensive at the White House.

• “The delegation, originally travelling to the US at the invitation of President Joe Biden’s White House, was meant to meet with US officials on Israel’s planned invasion of Rafah,” regional media details.
• The White House in response said it is “very disappointed that the Israelis won’t be coming” while also stressing official US policy toward Israel hasn’t changed despite the passage of the UN resolution.

Netanyahu’s office explained the drastic move thusly, “The US retreated from its consistent position in the Security Council linking a ceasefire with the release of the hostages.”

Source: Tyler Durden – Zero Hedge