White House national security spokesman John Kirby said the response by Israel to the U.N. resolution was surprising. “We’re kind of perplexed by this,” he said. He said the Israelis were “choosing to create a perception of daylight here when they don’t need to do that.” Kirby insisted the the U.S. abstaining from a U.N. resolution on Gaza cease-fire, allowing the resolution to pass, was not a change in American policy. “There is no reason for this to be seen as an escalation. Nothing has changed about our policy,” he said.
Quick Read
- White House Response: National security spokesman John Kirby expressed confusion over Israel’s reaction to the U.N. resolution for a Gaza cease-fire, suggesting Israel is unnecessarily creating a sense of division with the U.S.
- U.S. Communication with Israel: U.S. officials reportedly kept Israel informed about their stance on the resolution throughout the weekend, clarifying that abstaining from the vote wasn’t a shift in U.S. policy or support for Israel.
- Netanyahu’s Actions: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu canceled a high-level trip to the U.S. without prior discussion with President Joe Biden, who currently has no plans to call Netanyahu.
- Israeli Defense Minister’s U.S. Visit: Despite the canceled delegation trip, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant was scheduled to meet U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan in Washington for further discussions.
- Analysis of Tensions: Expert Eytan Gilboa pointed out that Netanyahu’s decision to cancel the trip might reflect current tensions between the U.S. and Israel, influenced by domestic politics in both countries.
- White House Clarification: Kirby reiterated that the U.S. abstaining from the U.N. resolution vote does not indicate a change in American policy, emphasizing that the resolution aligns with the U.S. stance on a cease-fire and the release of Israeli hostages.
- Ongoing Discussions: The White House looked forward to discussions with Gallant, which were expected to cover topics intended for the canceled delegation, including potential alternatives to a ground invasion of Rafah.
The Associated Press has the story:
White House surprised by Israel’s response to UN vote, says US Policy has not changed
Newslooks- WASHINGTON — (AP)
White House national security spokesman John Kirby said the response by Israel to the U.N. resolution was surprising. “We’re kind of perplexed by this,” he said.
He said the Israelis were “choosing to create a perception of daylight here when they don’t need to do that.”
According to a U.S. official with direct knowledge of the talks, American officials were in touch with Israel throughout the weekend to make the U.S. position known on the Security Council resolution, and to articulate that it was not a change in policy or in support for Israel. The official spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive discussions.
Netanyahu did not talk to Biden before he canceled the delegation’s trip, and Biden doesn’t have any immediate plans to phone Netanyahu, the official said.
Meanwhile, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant was set to meet with U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan and others Monday in Washington where discussions would continue. The U.S. official said the plan by Israel to enter Rafah was not imminent and there would still be time for ongoing talks — despite the canceled trip.
Eytan Gilboa, an expert on U.S.-Israel relations at Bar Ilan University, said Netanyahu’s decision to cancel the diplomatic delegation to the United States was a mistake and demonstrates the tension between the US and Israel at this moment.
Gilboa said Biden is trying to placate voices within the Democratic party that oppose his support of Israel, while Netanyahu is trying to show his ability to stand up to American policies he considers anti-Israel.
“If domestic considerations are dominating decision making in the war, you have very harsh exchanges of rhetoric,” he said.
WHITE HOUSE SAYS U.S. POLICY HAS NOT CHANGED, AFTER ABSTAINING ON U.N. CEASE-FIRE RESOLUTION
WASHINGTON — White House national security spokesman John Kirby insisted the the U.S. abstaining from a U.N. resolution on Gaza cease-fire, allowing the resolution to pass, was not a change in American policy.
“There is no reason for this to be seen as an escalation. Nothing has changed about our policy,” he said.
Kirby said the resolution called for both a cease-fire and the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas in Gaza. “And that is, broadly speaking, in keeping with what has been our policy.”
Kirby said the U.S. was disappointed in Israel’s decision to cancel this week’s diplomatic delegation to Washington, but said the discussions with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant would likely include some of what the U.S. had hoped to discuss with the delegation on Israel’s planned ground assault on the Gaza city of Rafah.
He said he would not discuss whether the U.S. would consider withholding support if the Israelis were to proceed.
The White House was aiming to talk to the Israelis about possible alternatives to a ground invasion of Rafah, but Kirby would not get into specifics.
