Allies raising pressure on Israel to halt Gaza bombardment
By Story Agencies, December 13, 2023Pressure is building on Israel after the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) passed a resolution demanding a ceasefire in Gaza.
Following US President Joe Biden’s warning to Israel that it risks losing international support due to its “indiscriminate” bombing of the enclave, on Wednesday a host of Israel’s allies called for a ceasefire.
Australia, Canada, New Zealand and other allies issued a rare joint statement calling for an end to hostilities and expressing alarm “at the diminishing safe space for civilians in Gaza”.
The UNGA resolution demanding a ceasefire passed on Tuesday with the support of 153 of 193 nations. The US, Israel, and eight other states voted against the resolution.
Despite maintaining support, the US president offered his sharpest public criticism of Israel since the start of its war with Hamas.
“[Israel] has most of the world supporting it, but they’re starting to lose that support by the indiscriminate bombing that takes place,” Biden told supporters at a campaign fundraiser event.
Washington has been calling for weeks for Israel to take more care to avoid civilian casualties in Gaza, saying that too many Palestinians have been killed.
Extreme
Biden also suggested that the US views the Israeli government as extreme, expressing concern that the “most conservative government in Israel’s history” is making progress in the resolution of the conflict “difficult”.
“He [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu] has to change this government,” Biden said. naming Tel Aviv’s Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.
The US president insisted that Israel “can’t say no” to a Palestinian state, naming National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir as among hardline government members that have rejected a two-state solution.
Netanyahu said there was “disagreement” with Biden over how a post-conflict Gaza would be governed.
The Israeli government has flatly refused to consider a long-term ceasefire in Gaza until all of the 240 hostages taken by Hamas in the October 7 raids are freed. However, some administration members in Tel Aviv have admitted that the “window of legitimacy” for the operation may be closing, according to the AFP news agency.
The White House will send national security adviser Jake Sullivan to Israel this week on a trip that Biden said will again emphasise the commitment of the US to Israel but also the need to protect civilian lives in Gaza.