Benjamin Netanyahu cancels Israeli delegation to US over UN Gaza vote

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Monday that he would not be sending a planned delegation to Washington after the United States chose not to veto a UN Security Council proposal calling for a ceasefire in Gaza.

Netanyahu’s office stated that the decision was made due to Washington’s shift in position, which he believed would hinder efforts against Hamas and the release of hostages in Gaza.

“In light of the change in the American position, Prime Minister Netanyahu decided the delegation would not leave,” his office said.

Ambassadors, except for US ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield, second left, raise their hands to vote in favour of a resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza, during a UN Security Council meeting in New York on Monday. Photo: EPA-EFE

The UN Security Council voted to demand an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Palestinian Islamist group Hamas and the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages. The United States abstained from the vote.

The White House denied that the US abstention reflected a change in American policy.

The high-level delegation was expected to travel to Washington to discuss a planned Israeli military operation in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, where more than a million Palestinians are taking shelter.

White House national security spokesperson John Kirby addressed Israel’s decision to withdraw from the meeting, stating that the United States would continue discussions with Israel on the matter.

Kirby said the decision was unfortunate but that the United States would bring up its concerns about Israel’s policies as part of continuing discussions between the two governments.

UN Security Council demands immediate ceasefire in Gaza after US abstains

“It’s disappointing. We’re very disappointed that they won’t be coming to Washington DC to allow us to have a fulsome conversation with them about viable alternatives to them going in on the ground in Rafah.”

“Nothing has changed about our view that a major ground offensive in Rafah would be a major mistake,” Kirby said.

He said discussions between visiting Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant and national security adviser Jake Sullivan, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and others would cover the same points that the US team had planned to raise with the delegation.

State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said: “We believe this type of full-scale invasion would be a mistake,” adding that Blinken was likely to discuss Rafah with Gallant.

In Israel, parliamentary opposition leader Yair Lapid accused Netanyahu of trying to divert attention away from a rift in his coalition over a military conscription bill at the expense of ties with the United States.

“It’s shocking irresponsibility from a prime minister who has lost it,” Lapid wrote on social media platform X.

Additional reporting by Agence France-Presse

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