By allowing the United Nations Security Council to pass a resolution demanding an “immediate ceasefire” in Gaza while Hamas remains in power and still holds 130 hostages, the Biden administration has shamefully betrayed a key ally while empowering a terrorist group committed to its destruction.
President Biden has been getting increasingly bellicose in his rhetoric against Israel in recent weeks, particularly when it comes to Israeli plans to finish the job against Hamas by invading Rafah in southern Gaza. Over the weekend, the administration dispatched Vice President Kamala Harris to ABC to again chastise the planned Israeli offensive, claiming, laughably, that she had “studied the maps” and decided that Israel’s plan to evacuate civilians from the area wasn’t feasible.
Up until this point, however, despite criticisms, the Biden administration has been willing to use the U.S. veto at the U.N. Security Council to shoot down any cease-fire resolutions. On Monday, the administration abandoned that policy. Instead of standing up against international bullies, the U.S. abstained, allowing a despicable resolution to pass.
The move was an escalation in the emerging diplomatic crisis between the Biden administration and Israel. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has now called off a planned Israeli delegation to the White House that was supposed to discuss the Rafah operation.
Over the course of months, Israel has annihilated Hamas in the northern part of Gaza, but what remains of the terror group — as well as the hostages — are believed to be in southern Gaza, near the border with Egypt.
The text of the resolution “demands an immediate ceasefire for the month of Ramadan respected by all parties leading to a lasting sustainable ceasefire,” which in effect would mean leaving Hamas in power and allowing it to rebuild so it can carry out more attacks against Israel. The resolution makes no mention of the October 7 massacres, and while it “also demands the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages,” it does not make the cease-fire conditional on their release.
As a result of this resolution, Hamas has very little incentive to agree to release the remaining hostages, including Americans, as part of any cease-fire agreement — as it knows that the international community, with the tacit approval of the U.S., is now demanding that Israel lay down its arms regardless of the hostages’ fate.
Israeli polls show overwhelming support for finishing off Hamas in Rafah, which is a strategic necessity. That means the IDF will have to go in — and that would be true even if somebody other than Netanyahu were prime minister. Given Biden’s increasing hostility toward Israel, the question is how far he is willing to go when the operation commences. Harris said the administration wouldn’t rule out “consequences” for Israel, and Biden has previously signaled a willingness to cut off some aid or at least to condition aid.
Israelis are less than six months removed from the worst massacre of Jews since the Holocaust, a massacre that Hamas leaders have vowed to repeat over and over again until Israel no longer exists. It is the solemn responsibility of Israeli leaders to do whatever it takes to make sure that Hamas is never able to follow through on its threats. As it pursues this national imperative, Israel should be able to count on unwavering U.S. support. Unfortunately, thanks to Biden, Israel will have to contemplate the reality that it is now alone.