Rift between U.S. and Israel widens over U.N. Gaza cease-fire resolution

William Brangham:

There is a public break tonight between the United States and Israel after the U.S. refused to veto a U.N. Security Council resolution calling for an immediate cease-fire in Gaza. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused the U.S. of changing its position on the war in Gaza and canceled a planned visit of his top aides to Washington.

Nick Schifrin is here now with more on these fast-moving developments.

Nick, what is it that happened today that led to this very public disagreement?

Nick Schifrin:

The U.N. Security Council today for the first time in more than five months of war demanded a cease-fire in Gaza. And it did so because, as you just said, the U.S. abstained on a vote.

Resolution 2728 — quote — "demands an immediate cease-fire for the month of Ramadan, respected by all parties, leading to a lasting and sustainable cease-fire, and also demands the immediate and unconditional release of all the hostages."

So while we keep up that text, just a few points. One, the holy month of Ramadan is already halfway over. Two, the word lasting was replaced because the U.S. asked for it, rather than the quote — than the word permanent. And, three, that paragraph there refers to a cease-fire and hostage release in the same paragraph. An earlier draft allowed those two things to be split.

And that is what — the reason why the U.S. abstained today, according to U.S. ambassador to the U.N. Linda Thomas-Greenfield.

Linda Thomas-Greenfield, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations: We fully support some of the critical objectives in this nonbinding resolution. And we believe it was important for the council to speak out and make clear that our cease-fire must, any cease-fire, must come with the release of all hostages.

Nick Schifrin:

But the resolution did not condition the cease-fire on the hostage release, nor did it condemn Hamas' terrorist attack of October the 7th.

And that is why Netanyahu said today, hey, look, that's what you were calling for in your own draft resolution. You have changed your policy. That led to Netanyahu canceling this delegation that was supposed to arrive tomorrow to Washington.

And it led to this statement by Israeli Ambassador to the U.N. Gilad Erdan:

Gilad Erdan, Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations: Your demand for a cease-fire, without conditioning it on the release of the hostages, not only is not helpful, but it undermines, undermines the efforts to secure their release. To this council, Israeli blood is cheap. This is a travesty, and I am disgusted.

Nick Schifrin:

In response to that, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby today tried to downplay what the U.S. had done. They said — he said that the Israeli cancellation of the delegation was disappointing, but he also said, William, that Netanyahu was making a bigger deal of today's vote than it was actually.

John Kirby, NSC Coordinator For Strategic Communications:

We get to decide what our policy is. The prime minister's office seems to be indicating, through public statements, that we somehow changed here. We haven't.

And we get to decide what our policy is. It seems like the prime minister's office is choosing to create a perception of daylight here, when they don't need to do that.

William Brangham:

So, how serious do U.S. officials believe this rift really is?

Nick Schifrin:

I mean, Kirby, as he said, he's disappointed that the U.S. won't be able to detail their alternative to the assault on Rafah.

Israeli officials say that an assault on Rafah is necessary because Hamas' final four battalions are based there. But two U.S. officials told me that the U.S. had planned to provide a detailed alternative to an assault on Rafah, more about targeting high-value members of Hamas, doing more to secure the Egyptian border and allowing displaced Gazans to go home to Central and Northern Gaza.

U.S. officials, frankly, are skeptical that Israel wants to hear an alternative to an assault on Rafah because all Israeli officials are convinced it's necessary, as we heard from Yoav Gallant, defense minister, who's visiting Washington as well today.

Yoav Gallant, Israeli Defense Minister (through interpreter):

In my first meeting, which will be with National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, I will stress the importance of destroying Hamas and returning the hostages home. We will operate against Hamas everywhere, including in places where we have not yet been.

Nick Schifrin:

Not yet been — not yet been is presumably a reference to Rafah.

Bottom line, two U.S. officials also think that Netanyahu is playing domestic politics here, because his coalition is at a particularly fragile moment. But, look, there has been tension between the administration and the Israeli government, today particularly public.

William Brangham:

Nick Schifrin, as always, thank you so much.

Nick Schifrin:

Thank you.