UN's Gaza ceasefire resolution's separation of hostages and ceasefire puts pressure on Netanyahu
A UN Security Council resolution called on both sides of Israel and Gaza to "comply with their obligations under international law with respect to all persons detained" and called for direct negotiations between Netanyahu and Hamas to exchange hostages and prisoners.
The resolution, passed with the United States abstentions, was concise and direct, pressuring Netanyahu to negotiate the release of hostages and condemning "all attacks against civilians" and "all acts of terrorism."
“We call for an immediate ceasefire during Ramadan, respected by all parties, leading to a permanent and sustainable ceasefire,” the resolution said.
There are two weeks left until the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, and during this period, Prime Minister Netanyahu faces domestic tensions as he must persuade both sides in the hard-line stance of far-right coalition lawmakers and protests for the release of hostage families.
President Biden, who is running for re-election in November, has called on the United Nations on Oct. 7 as a strategy to escape pressure from not only U.S. allies but also a growing number of fellow Democrats to curb Israel's military response to Hamas' deadly cross-border rampage. Chose to abstain on the Security Council resolution.
The International Rescue Committee said in a statement today, "A ceasefire is the only way to protect civilians and is key to expanding humanitarian assistance to safely reach those who desperately need it. This resolution must be an important turning point."
Hamas, which is holding more than 100 hostages, welcomed the Security Council resolution in a statement on Telegram. A Hamas statement said it was “willing to immediately begin a prisoner exchange process that would lead to the release of prisoners from both sides.”
Regarding the passage of the resolution, Gilad Erdan, Israel's ambassador to the United Nations, said, "The UN Security Council is biased against Israel because it has taken no action to rescue the hostages held in Gaza," and "voted against this shameful resolution." “I should have lost,” he said today.
In an MSNBC interview in early March, President Biden said the invasion of Rafah would be a "red line" and put pressure on the Netanyahu government, saying, "I will block all weapons so they don't have the Iron Dome (missile defense system) to protect them."
In response to Biden's remarks that day, Prime Minister Netanyahu announced the push for military operations, saying, "We will advance from Rafah, the last area of the Gaza Strip where the Israeli military has not launched a ground attack."
U.S. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer last week called Prime Minister Netanyahu, the highest-ranking Jewish elected official in Israel, an “obstacle to peace” and called for “new elections” to replace Netanyahu, and Biden The president called it a “good speech.”
U.S. Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson responded to reporters on the 20th, saying, “I plan to invite Prime Minister Netanyahu, who gave a video address to senators last week, to address Congress.”
“Prime Minister Netanyahu appears to be working with Republicans to ‘weaponize the U.S.-Israel relationship for the right,’” Democratic Senator Sheldon told Reuters.
Reuters said, “Biden’s 2024 re-election bid limits his options,” adding, “Biden must avoid giving Republicans an issue that could capture pro-Israel voters, while also appealing to progressive Democrats who are disappointed by his strong support for Israel.” “We must prevent their support from eroding,” he said.
Regarding Netanyahu, Reuters said, “Opinion polls show him soundly defeated in any election held now, and there is widespread support for continuing the war in Gaza among Israelis still deeply traumatized by the October 7 attacks. “He knows there is support,” he said. “He appears willing to take the risk of testing Washington’s tolerance.”
Regarding Prime Minister Netanyahu's equal, Reuters said, "All members of the emergency coalition government support continuing the war until Hamas is destroyed and the hostages returned, and are willing to respond to U.S. requests for mediation despite the growing risk of international isolation." “It is almost invisible,” he said. “Hard-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said that Israel is a partner, but the United States is not a ‘sponsor’ of Israel.”
“Allowing this resolution to pass is a relatively soft way of voicing Israel’s concerns,” said Richard Gowan, a UN expert at the International Crisis Group. “Abstention is an uncoded hint for Netanyahu to take control of the operation. , especially throughout Rafa,” he told the New York Times on the 25th.
The UN-brokered ceasefire resolution appears to have been influenced by the United States' negotiation experience, which resulted in millions of casualties when the ceasefire negotiations for the Korean War, which began in 1951, were delayed for two years due to a 'prisoner exchange stalemate' and the strategy of 'separating war from hostages (prisoners)'. .
The Korean War armistice negotiations were initially agreed upon, but failed due to the strong offensive of China and the Syngman Rhee government in the prisoner exchange, and President Syngman Rhee was excluded from the negotiations and conclusion.