The Biden administration is continuing to fend off backlash after deviating from its previous course and abstaining from a vote on a United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas in Gaza.
Even though many pundits believe the abstention was no more than a posturing PR stunt, blowback has nevertheless come from Israel as well as both parties in Congress.
While a furious Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu canceled a high-level delegation’s trip to Washington, incensed pro-Israel House lawmakers have slammed Biden for what they see as a US policy shift away from supporting Israel. A number of both Democrats and Republicans are up in arms over the abstention.
Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) went on social media to post that it was “appalling” the US allowed the passage of the resolution. Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) was similarly "shocked." Another Democrat, Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-NY) claimed the abstention had “emboldened” Hamas.
House Republican Anthony D'Esposito (R-NY) on Tuesday introduced a resolution declaring that "any resolution of the Israeli-Hamas conflict should take place only with the full cooperation and approval of Israel at each step of the process." It also insisted that the US "should continue to support Israel and should not attempt to force Israel to take any course of action that is against its best interest."
The flurry of reactions from lawmakers followed a diplomatic snub as Israel called off the visit of a high-level delegation to Washington. The meeting had been called at Biden’s request and was purportedly set to discuss “alternatives” to a planned Israeli offensive into Gaza’s southern city of Rafah.
It should be noted that Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant lingered in Washington for talks with US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin at the Pentagon.
After the meeting, Gallant said Israel’s “goals are simple: We need to destroy Hamas as a military and governing organization in Gaza… It means that the military framework must be destroyed.”
Immediately after the UN vote, an exchange of tense rhetoric followed between the US and Israel.
Netanyahu’s office released a statement claiming that Hamas had “rebuffed all US offers for a compromise, while celebrating the Security Council’s resolution.” It added that Hamas’ position “attests to the damage done by the UN Security Council’s resolution.”
In response, State Department spokesman Matt Miller rejected the claims as “inaccurate in almost every respect,” and “unfair to the hostages and their families.” Hamas’ stance during hostage negotiations was formulated ahead of the UN vote, Miller said at a news briefing. Washington refused to “engage in rhetorical distractions on this issue,” he added.
Earlier, on Monday, White House spokesperson John Kirby said at a briefing that the US vote “does not - I repeat - does not represent a shift in our policy."
Kirby also indicated that the US was "perplexed" by official Israel’s response, claiming that the resolution was non-binding.
As the US presidential election draws closer, Joe Biden has been under growing pressure over his handling of the US stance on the latest deadly spiral of the Palestine-Israel conflict. Recent polling has shown that Biden risks losing the November election after infuriating large portions of his party’s base, including Arab American voters in swing states like Michigan.
Recently, six House Democrats sent a letter to POTUS calling continued US aid to Israel into question as Netanyahu’s government continues to block humanitarian aid from entering the besieged Gaza Strip, where over 32,000 Palestinians have been killed since Israel’s military offensive began in October.