Israel’s Netanyahu cancels delegation's visit to US after UN resolution for Gaza cease-fire

By Ahmed Asmar

ANKARA (AA) – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday called off an official visit for a top delegation to Washington after the passage of a UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate cease-fire in the Gaza Strip.

According to the Israeli public broadcaster KAN, Netanyahu canceled the delegation's visit after the US abstained from using the veto against the resolution.

A statement by Netanyahu's office said the US decision to allow the resolution to pass is "a clear retreat from the consistent US position in the Security Council since the beginning of the war."

The Israeli premier earlier threatened to cancel the delegation’s visit if Washington failed to veto the UN resolution.

The Israeli delegation was scheduled to visit Washington to hear US proposals for expanded humanitarian aid in Gaza, as well as alternatives to Israel's planned ground attack in Rafah city in the southern Gaza Strip.

The visit was announced following a phone conversation between Netanyahu and US President Joe Biden last week.

The UN Security Council on Monday passed a resolution demanding a cease-fire in Gaza during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, which already began on March 11 and is set to end on April 9.

As many as 14 countries voted in favor of the resolution, presented by 10 elected members of the Council, while the US abstained from voting.

The resolution called for an "immediate cease-fire for the month of Ramadan respected by all parties leading to a lasting sustainable ceasefire."

It also demanded the "immediate and unconditional release of all hostages, as well as ensuring humanitarian access to address their medical and other humanitarian needs."

Israel has waged a deadly military offensive on the Palestinian territory since a cross-border attack by the Palestinian group Hamas in which some 1,200 Israelis were killed.

More than 32,333 Palestinians have since been killed and over 74,694 injured amid mass destruction and shortages of necessities.

The Israeli war, now in its 171st day, has pushed 85% of Gaza’s population into internal displacement amid acute shortages of food, clean water and medicine, while 60% of the enclave's infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.

Israel is accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice. An interim ruling in January ordered Tel Aviv to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.