Netanyahu cancels Rafah operation delegation to US after US abstention at UN

The Prime Minister announced that following a US abstention on a Security Council resolution which did not make a cease-fire conditional on the release of hostages, the Israeli delegation meant to discuss operations in Rafah with the Biden administration would not be going to DC.

Today (Monday), the United States abstained rather than veto a resolution which called for a ceasefire and for a release of the hostages, but which did not make the former conditional on the latter.

The Prime Minister responded that this was a "retreat" from the US' consistent, official stance since the war began. He also stated that this decision harms the war effort and the effort to bring about the release of the hostages, since it gives Hamas hope that it can get a ceasefire without releasing the hostages.

An Israeli delegation was planned to set out for Washington this week to discuss the Rafah operation with the Biden administration. The Prime Minister warned that it would not leave if the US did not veto the UN resolution, and has now acted on that threat.