Netanyahu needs to send delegates to the US to take pressure off of strained ties- editorial

• Published date: 27 March 2024
• Author: JPOST EDITORIAL
• Publication title: Jerusalem Post, The: Web Edition Articles (Israel)

Senior officials, including Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer and National Security Adviser Tzachi Hanegbi, along with a COGAT representative, were scheduled for a US visit to advocate for the war efforts, as stated by the Prime Minister's Office last week. Israeli reports indicated that the Biden administration intended to propose several alternatives for actions in Rafah to the visiting Israeli team

In reaction to the vote, the office said: "The US has backed down from its consistent stance in the Security Council since the beginning of the war."

The failure of the US to veto a draft of the resolution that advocates for a ceasefire without requiring the release of hostages represents a significant withdrawal from its former position, it said.

Following the United States' choice to abstain, the UN Security Council passed a resolution calling for an immediate halt to hostilities in Gaza, marking a departure from the US's earlier actions of vetoing three previous draft resolutions regarding the Gaza war.

On Monday, the White House expressed confusion over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's decision to call off the delegation's planned meeting in Washington.

"We're kind of perplexed by this," national security communications adviser John Kirby said when asked for Biden's reaction to the decision, The Hill reported.

"A couple of points that need to be stated and, in fact, restated," he said. "No. 1, it's a nonbinding resolution. So, there's no impact at all on Israel and Israel's ability to continue to go after Hamas. No. 2… it does not represent a change at all in our policy. It's very consistent with everything that we've been saying we want to get done here. And we get to decide what our policy is."

Worrying development in terms of allyship

Netanyahu's decision to cancel the meeting in Washington is a significant diplomatic blunder, signaling a worrying retreat from constructive engagement with a key ally. At a time when the intricacies of international relations demand nuanced and continuous dialogue, especially concerning conflicts that have far-reaching global implications, such a move can be seen as short-sighted. It forfeits a pivotal opportunity to articulate Israel's stance directly to the US and to explore alternative strategies for the complex situation in Gaza.

By choosing to disengage over the US's abstention in a UN...