The United Nations Security Council passed a resolution Monday that demanded an immediate ceasefire in Gaza—a resolution the U.S. refused to veto, adding to growing tensions between Washington and Tel Aviv.
Instead, the U.S. opted to abstain from voting, which allowed the resolution to pass despite it being the only country—out of 15—to not vote in favor of a ceasefire for the remainder of Ramadan, a month of prayer and fasting for Muslims. United Nations members indicated they hoped the hypothetical ceasefire, which also called for the release of remaining Israeli hostages, would continue indefinitely.
The U.S. abstention angered Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who on Monday canceled a delegation’s planned trip to Washington in retaliation. That delegation included Netanyahu’s top aides, Ron Dermer and Tzachi Hanegbi.
In a statement from Netanyahu’s office, the prime minister said the U.S. was harming Israel’s war effort and its refusal to veto was “a clear retreat from the consistent U.S. position in the Security Council since the beginning of the war.”
The United Nations’ chamber reportedly erupted in applause after the U.S. declined to veto the breakthrough resolution, which is legally binding. It is arguably the most significant international pressure to date that calls on Israel and Netanyahu to call off hostilities.
“Finally, finally, the Security Council is shouldering its responsibility,” said Algeria’s U.N. Ambassador Amar Bendjama, The New York Times reported. “It is finally responding to the calls of the international community.”
Debate over the resolution continued until the last second, the Times reported, with the U.S. asking for a change in the text that removed “permanent ceasefire” and replaced it with “lasting ceasefire.” The U.S. said it ultimately abstained from voting because the resolution did not add a condemnation for Hamas’ Oct. 7 attacks to the text.
Israeli officials have given no indication they plan to halt their assault in Gaza, which Palestinian officials say have left more than 32,000 dead, including thousands of women and children.
Joe Biden, once a strong supporter of Israel’s response after the Oct. 7 massacre that sparked war, has distanced himself from Netanyahu in recent weeks.
Most recently, Biden said he had “deep concerns” over a planned Israeli ground invasion of Rafah, a city in the southern Gaza Strip into which over a million Palestinian civilians have been cornered.
