The Security Council approved: an immediate cease-fire during Ramadan - and the unconditional release of all the abductees/Walla system!
why is it important
Less than half a year since the October 7th attack that prompted President Biden's unprecedented support for Israel, it seems that relations between the White House and the Netanyahu government have never been worse.
The current crisis is largely reminiscent of the war Netanyahu waged against President Obama in 2015, regarding the nuclear agreement with Iran or the confrontation between the countries in December 2016 surrounding the decision to refrain from voting in the Security Council to condemn the settlements in the West Bank.
"What Netanyahu did today is a strange way to treat an ally that has given Israel so much support since the beginning of the war," said an American official.
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, US President Joe Biden/image processing, photo: Miriam Alster/Flash 90, Samuel Corum/Getty Images
Behind the Scenes
Last night and this morning the White House held talks with Netanyahu's advisers regarding the proposed resolution that will be put to a vote in the Security Council and made it clear that the US is expected to refrain from vetoing it, sources familiar with the matter said.
The White House stressed to Netanyahu's advisers that American abstention does not constitute a change in policy on the part of the US regarding the necessary conditions for a ceasefire and that the Biden administration does not see the decision as binding, the sources stated.
Netanyahu, for his part, said in a statement that he made it clear to White House officials already on Sunday that Israel does see American withdrawal as a policy change and threatened that if this happens, he will cancel the departure of his advisers - Ron Dermer and Tzachi Hanegavi - to the White House for talks on the Rafah operation.
"If Prime Minister Netanyahu was so opposed to the American abstention from the vote, why didn't he call President Biden and tell him that? The US policy is clear - we look at the decision as one that calls for a ceasefire and the release of the abductees in the same paragraph," said an American official.
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The UN Security Council convenes to discuss Ben Gabir's ascension to the Temple Mount, January 5, 2022/image processing, Mike Segar
between the lines
A senior American noted that the White House was stunned by Netanyahu's reaction and considered it extremely excessive.
According to the American official, Netanyahu chose to reject the interpretation that the US gave to the decision, create a crisis with the Biden administration and then tell the US what its policy is even though it claims the opposite.
"All of this will only harm Israel. The prime minister could have chosen a different path - to align with the US when it comes to the meaning of the decision.
He chose not to do so, apparently for internal political reasons," said an American official.
the situation picture
The White House is trying to downplay the significance of canceling the arrival of Netanyahu's advisers to Washington and instead focus on the fact that Defense Minister Gallant is in town, and is holding meetings today with several senior administration officials - including on the Rafah issue.
Another American senior official said that Netanyahu used the vote at the UN as an excuse and a way to escape from sending a delegation to talks at the White House on Rafah. "Bibi was afraid that we might, God forbid, offer good alternatives to a ground operation in Rafah.
He prefers to fight with us even if it is against Israel's interests," said the American official.
What next
President Biden does not intend at this stage to hold a phone conversation with Netanyahu, according to sources familiar with the matter.
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