With the U.S. allowing passage of a Gaza ceasefire resolution at the United Nations on Monday and drawing a sharp reaction from the Israeli leader, relations between U.S President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu is said to be at wartime low.
Tempered Netanyahu reportedly halted a Washington visit by senior delegation to discuss Israel’s threatened offensive in the southern Gaza city of Rafah this week of which, the U.S. abstained in a Security Council vote that sought an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Hamas and the release of all hostages held by the Palestinian militants.
The meeting suspension is defined as a new obstacle in the way of efforts by the U.S, concerns about a deepening humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, to get Netanyahu to consider alternatives to a ground invasion of Rafah, the last relatively safe haven for Palestinian civilians.
The threat of such an offensive has increased tensions between longtime allies the United States and Israel, raised questions about whether the U.S might restrict military aid if Netanyahu defies Biden and presses ahead anyway.
Aaron David Miller, a former Middle East negotiator for Republican and Democratic administrations said, “This shows that trust between the Biden administration and Netanyahu may be breaking down. If the crisis is not managed carefully, it’s only going to continue to worsen.”
While Israeli PM office announced the fate of the visit, it said the failure of the U.S. to veto the resolution was a “clear retreat” from its previous position and would hurt Israel’s war efforts.