[ad_1]
Joe Biden has for the first time publicly expressed his support for the ceasefire as Israeli-Palestinian violence extended into its second week, sparking U.S. efforts to end the fighting.
Biden spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday in a context of growing US criticism progressives they want their administration to put more pressure to stop hostilities in the Gaza Strip.
“The president expressed his support for the ceasefire and discussed the U.S. commitment to Egypt and other partners to that end,” a reading at the White House of Biden’s call with Netanyahu said.
Biden gave no indication on a timetable and the United States has relied on regional partners to reach an agreement. The call came after Netanyahu said Sunday afternoon that the country would continue military campaign against the Islamist group Hamas “with all its might,” suggesting it had US support.
“There is talk of international pressure. There is always pressure, but in general we receive very serious support, first and foremost from the United States, ”Netanyahu had said.
In the call, Biden reiterated “his strong support for Israel’s right to defend itself against indiscriminate rocket attacks” and welcomed efforts to address inter-communal violence and bring calm to Jerusalem, according to the reading.
Biden, a Democrat, also “encouraged Israel to make every effort to ensure the protection of innocent civilians.”
As of Monday, Israeli strikes had killed 212 Palestinians, including 61 women and 36 children, according to Gaza’s health ministry. Israeli army officials say 130 of the dead are Hamas fighters and disputes that Gazan estimates more than half of the dead are women and children. Israel has reported ten deaths from Hamas attacks, including two children.
Earlier Monday, they had blocked a UN Security Council statement calling for de-escalation, cessation of violence and respect for international law, according to two UN diplomats, marking the third time the U.S. frustrate a softer statement or action since the violence began.
Israel has rejected the condemnation of even pro-Israel Democrats for running a building in Gaza that hosted international media over the weekend, claiming that Hamas (which the United States has designated a foreign terrorist organization) operated from the same building .
Bob Menendez, a senior Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and a supporter of Israel, was one of those who said he was “deeply concerned” by reports of Israeli military actions that had killed innocent civilians in Gaza. and that they had directed the building used. by media groups.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the U.S. had asked for details to justify the decision to attack the building after the attack, but that he himself had not seen any evidence.
Israel was shocked by the Hamas rocket fire that defeated Israeli defenses last week and analysts say the country has since been trying to gain control and destroy Hamas infrastructure. The Israeli Defense Forces carried out 1,500 strikes, while the Islamist group has launched more than 3,150 rockets since Monday last week, according to the IDF.
Biden and Netanyahu have pledged to maintain direct contact and have spoken three times since last Monday since last week. The United States has also sent Hady Amr, a State Department official, to the region.
Dennis Ross, a former Middle East negotiator under Democratic and Republican administrations, said reading the call indicated that Biden was trying to end the crisis.
“It’s a subtle way of [Biden] making the point: Okay, you’ve already done what needed to be done. Now it’s time to find a way out of that, ”he said.
[ad_2]
Source link
