Israel’s top ally, the United States, on Monday (May 17) blocked for the third time a Security Council “peace deal” statement that would have been led by the U.S. government.
The 15-nation UN Security Council wanted to issue a statement expressing “grave concern” about the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians and the loss of civilian lives. But the statement was vetoed by the United States.
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki and National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said the U.S. rejected the Security Council statement and stressed that the U.S. was focused on “quiet and intensive diplomatic action.
China, which currently holds the rotating presidency of the U.N. Security Council, “urges the United States to assume its due responsibility and take a fair position. Spokesman Zhao Lijian said the United States should “join the majority of members of the international community and support the Security Council to play its due role in promoting the de-escalation of the situation, rebuilding confidence and a political solution.”
In response to a question from an Al Jazeera reporter who said, “There are views that China has not explicitly criticized the Israeli side’s actions,” he asked what China’s position was on Israel’s actions.
Zhao Lijian said he understood the reporter’s concern and worries about the current Palestinian-Israeli situation, stressing that China’s active mediation and the international community’s response were positive, and that the reporter’s views were “only a very small minority”.
Biden supports ceasefire agreement
According to the Associated Press, U.S. President Joe Biden called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday (May 17) to express support for the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Gaza militants Hamas, but did not call for an immediate ceasefire.
Israeli air strikes and Hamas rocket attacks have killed more than 200 people on both sides, mostly Palestinians, over the past eight days.
The White House read a carefully worded statement related to Biden’s call with Netanyahu. This is the second time in three days that Biden has spoken with Netanyahu amid the ongoing attacks on both sides.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Israeli security officials later on the 17th that “Israel will continue to strike terror targets in Gaza for as long as necessary to restore calm and security to all Israeli citizens.”
The U.S. is currently under international pressure to respond more forcefully to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The Associated Press reports. The U.S. government is determined to shift its foreign policy focus away from the Middle East conflict. And in the face of the rising Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Biden made similar “open-ended” ceasefire comments to previous administration statements.
However, Biden’s position contrasts with the attitude of dozens of Democratic lawmakers and related parties demanding an immediate ceasefire.
The Associated Press reported that the White House is increasingly concerned about air strikes aimed at weakening Hamas, while insisting on strong support for Israel. The White House has also said during briefings that it “encourages Israel to make every effort to ensure the protection of innocent civilians.”
The U.S. Israeli-Palestinian Strategy
An anonymous administration official familiar with the call said the decision to express support rather than explicitly call for a cease-fire was deliberate. While Biden and his staff are concerned about the growing bloodshed that is costing innocent lives, the decision not to call for an immediate cessation of hostilities reflects the White House’s position.
The Biden administration has limited its public criticism of the Gaza Strip as the worst Israeli-Palestinian fighting since 2014 rages on. The Biden administration has limited public criticism of Hamas and has refused to send top officials to Hamas as special envoys. In addition, the Biden administration has refused to publicly and directly pressure Israel to halt its latest military operations in the Gaza Strip.
In the Gaza Strip, a 6-mile by 25-mile territory inhabited by more than 2 million people, the latest military action has been coming amid delays in the adoption of a cease-fire and signs that mediation by Egypt and other countries has not shown any progress.
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