U.S. Approves UN Security Council Pressuring Israel

The United Nations Security Council (unsc) voted 14-0 Monday for a resolution against Israel’s war on Hamas. Resolution 2728 “demands an immediate ceasefire for the month of Ramadan respected by all parties leading to a lasting ceasefire and also demands the immediate and conditional release of all hostages.”

United States abstains: The U.S. normally vetoes unsc resolutions Israel considers unfair. In this instance, the U.S. abstained, allowing the resolution to pass.

This followed a similar resolution the U.S. introduced last week, which was vetoed by Russia and China. The unsc has 15 members, five of which (including the U.S., Russia and China) are permanent and have veto power.

What does this mean for Israel? The resolution doesn’t have an enforcement mechanism. But if Israel is noncompliant, the unsc could use Resolution 2728 as a pretext for other resolutions with more teeth.

America’s previous resolution also linked the ceasefire with the release of hostages. This resolution merely puts the two clauses in the same sentence but doesn’t make one conditional on the other.

Israel’s relationship with the U.S. has suffered. Israel cancelled sending a delegation to Washington to discuss the incoming Rafah operation. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a statement claimed “the United States has abandoned its policy in the UN today.”

Where to now? The U.S. used to shield Israel in the UN. But the Biden administration has been making it hard for Israel to wage its war against Hamas. This is more than a disagreement with policy. To find out why, read Trumpet executive editor Stephen Flurry’s article “Betraying Israel in Its Hour of Need.”