LOS ANGELES.–Passing Security Council Resolution today [14-0] with the U.S. abstaining from an unconditional Gaza ceasefire, 81-year-old President Joe Biden furthered its rift with Israel. U.S. officials vetoed a Russia and Chinese resolution last week that would have approved a ceasefire without Israeli hostages released by Hamas. Security Council members want a ceasefire for the remainder of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month, to allow humanitarian shipments to deal with the growing prospects of famine in the Gaza Strip. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, 74. has insisted in all negotiations with Hamas that they release all remaining Israeli hostages seized Oct. 7 when Hamas slaughtered 1,200 Israeli citizens, mainly women and children, taking another 253 hostage. Hamas has refused to release Israeli hostages, continuing its fight to stay in power in the Gaza Strip.
Netanyahu has been working feverishly for the last five months to clear out Hamas tunnels and return as many hostages as possible. Hamas Ministry of Health continues to report on civilian casualties now totaling 32,000, providing no verification of the figures. Israeli authorities dispute the Hamas body-count, saying the actual numbers are one-tenth the figures given by Hamas. Whatever the casualties, Gaza is in ruins after five months of war, with 62-year-old Hamas Leader Yaya Sinwar and 60-year-old military chief Mohammed Deif still hiding in Gaza’s vast underground tunnel system. Netanyahu doesn’t like the U.S. pressure to end the conflict, knowing that Hamas wants to live for another day, refusing to relinquish power in the seaside Mediterranean territory. Biden’s White House team thinks it’s has given Netanyahu more than enough time for Israel to complete his mission.
Hamas wants to stay in power at all costs, knowing that the U.S. and its allies have given Israeli a blank check to rid the Gaza Strip of Hamas. “We confirm our readiness to engage in an immediate prisoner exchange process that lead to the release of prisoners on both sides,” Hamas said, demanding a complete end to the conflict. Hamas was founded in 1987 by Sheikh Ahmed Yassin with sole purpose of destroying the Jewish State. So, since seizing the Gaza Strip from the more moderate West Bank in 2007, Hamas has engaged in numerous uprisings and wars with Israel. When the latest slaughter took place Oct. 7, 2023 killing 1,200 Israelis, Netanyahu declared war on Hamas. U.N. officials have done everything possible to keep Hamas in power, requiring Israel to trudge ahead with its grinding war designed to root out Hamas from the Gaza Strip, something it’s resisted in five months of war.
Today’s Security Council ceasefire agreement, with the U.S. abstaining, is the strongest language to date demanding that Israel stop its offensive. Biden’s reelection campaign finds itself in conflict with Arab Americans in Michigan and Minnesota, leaving Biden no choice but to come down on the side of a ceasefire. Netanyahu wants the White House to support its war against Hamas, knowing that without getting rid of Hamas there’s no end to the Gaza conflict. Israel cancelled a Washington delegation designed to cover the details of a Rafah ground invasion to clear out last Hamas strongholds. Biden’s White House handlers find themselves caught between a rock-and-a-hard-place, trying to placate the party base at the same time recognize that Hamas cannot hold Israeli hostages indefinitely without the kind of consequences seen today in Gaza.
Hamas shows no signs of recognizing Israel’s right to exist, continuing the old U.N. pressure since 1948 Israeli independence to get out of Palestinian land. Palestinians never held sovereignty in the Holy Land after over 500 years of Ottoman rule. U.S. Security Council members applauded the new resolution, calling Israel an occupying power. But Israel doesn’t occupy Palestinian lands, it was given the sovereign British Mandate of Palestine in 1948 to found a new Israel State. If the 1967 Six Day War didn’t take place, Gaza would still be in Egyptian hands and the West Bank controlled by Jordan. Only after Israeli seized the Gaza Strip and West Bank in 1967, did Palestinians start claiming sovereignty. Ottoman Turks and British rule did not recognize Palestinian sovereignty in the Holy Land. Only after Israeli seized control, did Palestinians claim Israeli occupation.
Biden faces big hurdles to reelection because of the Israeli-Hamas War. With all the negatives for voters, Biden has some of his lowest approval ratings in managing the conflict. Biden’s Arab base wants him to take a tougher stance on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Only last week, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) called for Netanayahu to step down for new elections, prompting praise by Biden. Schumer’s calls went over like a lead balloon in GOP circles, showing the strong contrast between Democrat and GOP positions on the Israeli-Hamas War. Calling for a “sustainable ceasefire,” today’s Security Council Resolution didn’t go far enough for most members. Biden decided to play Election Year politics, thinking to win him votes, joining the Security Council on calling for Israel to abide by at least a temporary ceasefire.
About the Author
John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He’s editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.
