The Biden administration has marked a significant shift in its rhetoric toward Israel by drafting a new United Nations resolution calling for an “immediate cease-fire” and hostage deal in Gaza and upping the pressure on the Jewish state to halt its onslaught on the Palestinian territory.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken presented the resolution calling for “an immediate cease-fire.”
“We actually have a resolution that we put forward right now that’s before the United Nations Security Council that does call for an immediate cease-fire tied to the release of hostages, and we hope very much that countries will support that,” Mr. Blinken said.
The resolution was introduced the same day House Speaker Mike Johnson said he would invite Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to address Congress.
“I would love to have him come and address a joint session of Congress. We’ll certainly extend that invitation,” Mr. Johnson, Louisiana Republican, said on CNBC.
Mr. Johnson’s move came on the heels of Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer’s speech blasting Mr. Netanyahu and calling for new leadership in Israel. Mr. Schumer, New York Democrat, is the highest-ranking Jewish official in the U.S. to criticize Mr. Netanyahu.
It also reflects a movement in attitude among Democrats, including President Biden.
The U.S. had been resistant to seeking an immediate halt to the fighting, rejecting three prior U.N. Security Council resolutions calling for a humanitarian cease-fire. Only recently has the administration begun talking about resolutions that included the war.
The administration rejected three Security Council resolutions calling for a humanitarian cease-fire but recently proposed a resolution that included the word “cease-fire.”
There was no word on when or if the United Nations will vote on the resolution, which was disclosed Wednesday.
The resolution marks the latest shift in the administration’s stance toward Israel’s military operations in Gaza and the spiraling humanitarian crisis in the territory.
Mr. Biden spent months seeking a “pause” in the fighting between Israel and Hamas. The Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry says Israeli strikes have killed nearly 30,000 Palestinians in the war. Roughly 1,200 Israelis were killed in Hamas’ Oct. 7 sneak attack.
Last month, Mr. Biden shifted his rhetoric to demand a six-week “temporary cease-fire.”
Young voters and Arab Americans represent a significant portion of the Democratic Party base. Both groups went heavily for Mr. Biden in 2020, but their frustration with his unwavering support for Israel could keep them away from the polls in November.
A YouGov/The Economist poll released Thursday found that 50% of those who voted for Mr. Biden in 2020 say Israel is committing genocide of Palestinians in Gaza, compared with just 12% who voted for Mr. Trump in 2020.
In November, Mr. Biden told reporters he would like “a pause” in the fighting so Hamas could release its hostages. In late February, Mr. Biden said he told Mr. Netanyahu that he feels “very strongly” about the need for a “temporary cease-fire.”
The language change inches him slightly closer to critics within his own party and young liberals who have demanded a permanent cease-fire and have threatened to withhold their votes in November.
Vice President Kamala Harris bolstered Mr. Biden’s calls for a six-week cease-fire with a forceful plea of her own. She said Israel had “no excuses” for not doing more to increase aid to the Palestinians. Her words were sharper and more urgent than any so far from the president, even as he began to publicly criticize Mr. Netanyahu.
• Jeff Mordock can be reached at jmordock@washingtontimes.com.
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