The United States is preparing to abandon Israel in the United Nations with a draft resolution that calls for release of hostages dragged into Gaza by Hamas terrorists on October 7 — but also calls for an immediate ceasefire between Israel and the terrorist organization.
Not a temporary ceasefire during which increased humanitarian aid would be “surged” to the enclave, and during which hostages would be freed.
Blinken announced Wednesday that the United States has submitted a draft resolution to the UN Security Council calling for “an immediate ceasefire linked to the release of hostages” in the Gaza Strip, according to a report by the Saudi Al-Hadaath news outlet.
“We’re pressing for an immediate ceasefire tied to the release of hostages,” said Blinken, who was in Jeddah for meetings with Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister and other officials.
“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 ceasefire tied to the release of hostages, and we hope very much that countries will support that,” Blinken said. “I think that would send a strong message, a strong signal.”
Such a message does indeed send a “strong message” that the US no longer “has Israel’s back” in the United Nations, despite all declarations of America’s “unbreakable bond” with the Jewish State.
Blinken also said the sea corridor does not constitute an alternative to bringing aid overland into the enclave, and reiterated that Washington does not support a large-scale Israeli ground operation in Rafah.
“We want the war to end to devote ourselves to the future of the Gaza Strip,” Blinken said.
An “immediate ceasefire” would ensure the survival of Hamas and its leadership, something Israel has pledged to eliminate as one of the three goals set for the war forced upon the Jewish State by the terrorist organization.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly warned that such a move would scotch the destruction of the military and governing ability of Hamas, leaving its remaining battalions in Rafah alive and well and able to reconstitute its forces.
“Of course, we stand with Israel and its right to defend itself,” Blinken added. “But at the same time, it’s imperative that the civilians who are in harm’s way and who are suffering so terribly; that we focus on them, that we make them a priority, protecting the civilians, getting them humanitarian assistance,” Blinken added.
Somehow, the priority of forcing Hamas to surrender and stop placing those civilians in harm’s way was not raised or mentioned. Nor does the issue of making Israel’s survival seem to be a priority.
Hamas Political Bureau representative Ghazi Hamad emphasized in an October 24, 2023 interview on LBC TV (Lebanon) that Hamas is prepared to repeat the so-called October 7 “Al-Aqsa Flood” Operation “time and again until Israel is annihilated.”
During that invasion of southern Israel, Hamas-led terrorists tortured and then massacred 1,200 people, wounded thousands and abducted an additional 253 Israelis and foreign nationals, dragging them into Gaza captivity. About 110 of the hostages were freed in a “prisoner swap” with Hamas in November 2023; of the remaining 134 still in captivity, at least 33 are no longer alive, according to Israeli intelligence.
During Blinken’s meeting Wednesday with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan al Saud, the two men discussed how best to end the war as quickly as possible and then proceed to work on establishing a Palestinian state. Surrender by Hamas apparently was not mentioned, nor was the future survival of the Jewish State by eliminating the terrorist group’s governing and military capabilities.
“The Secretary and the Foreign Minister discussed the urgent need to protect all civilians in Gaza and immediately increase humanitarian assistance to those in need, State Department spokesperson Matt Miller told reporters.
“Secretary Blinken stressed the importance of continued close coordination with regional and international partners on resolving the conflict in Gaza and preparing for the post-conflict phase.
“The Secretary emphasized the United States’ commitment to achieving sustained peace through the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with security guarantees for Israel.
Security guarantees for Israel in the past have included those enshrined in UN Security Council Resolution 1701, the ceasefire agreement that ended the 2006 Second Lebanon War with Hezbollah. The mandates in the resolution were immediately ignored, not only by Hezbollah but by the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) that was intended to secure the border and prevent Hezbollah from rearming and entrenching in southern Lebanon.
