Biden finally urges for Gaza ceasefire in call with Netanyahu
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US President Joe Biden finally came out with a call for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, as the risk of escalation mounts in the region
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President Joe Biden speaks about lowering health care costs in the Indian Treaty Room at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on the White House complex in Washington, April 3, 2024 (AP)
In a pivotal unforeseen phone call that has been awaited for six months, US President Joe Biden called on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to start taking steps toward an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.
President Biden underscored the gravity of recent developments, particularly condemning the strikes on humanitarian workers and highlighting the deteriorating humanitarian conditions in Gaza.
During the conversation, President Biden emphasized the imperative for "Israel" to take immediate and decisive action to mitigate civilian harm, alleviate humanitarian suffering, and ensure the safety of aid workers.
Moreover, Biden stressed the necessity for the Israeli occupation to announce and implement a series of specific, tangible, and measurable measures aimed at addressing these pressing concerns, as well as commit to a ceasefire.
Furthermore, he underlined that the trajectory of US policy toward Gaza would be contingent upon the occupation's prompt implementation of these proposed steps.
He also reiterated the urgent need for an immediate ceasefire to stabilize the situation and prevent further harm to innocent civilians. Additionally, he urged Prime Minister Netanyahu to authorize his negotiators to swiftly conclude a deal aimed at securing the release of the Israeli captives.
In addition to discussing the situation in Gaza, the two leaders deliberated on the public threats issued by Iran against "Israel" and its citizens.
The United States has refused to call for a ceasefire in Gaza, essentially rendering it a pariah state in the international arena, especially among major powers, as it wasn't only not calling on "Israel" to commit to a ceasefire, it was vetoing any UN Resolutions aimed at urging for a ceasefire in Gaza.
The only sign of any progress in US foreign policy was a late March UNSC resolution it presented, but even that was not enough or progressive at all.
Regressive UNSC ceasefire resolution
The resolution pointed fingers at Hamas calling the Resistance movement a "terrorist organization" and claimed it did not represent the people of Palestine and failed to address the demands made by the group during ceasefire negotiations.
The resolution calls for a ceasefire that "should lay the foundation for a sustainable ceasefire," once again "reiterating the vision of the two-state solution, with the Gaza Strip as part of the Palestinian State."
It stresses the urgent need to expand the flow of humanitarian assistance to civilians throughout the Gaza Strip and reiterates the demand for the lifting of all barriers hindering its access. This includes ensuring its sustainable flow through all necessary crossing points, including the Karam Abu Salem Border Crossing, as well as the opening of additional crossings and a maritime corridor.
The resolution emphasizes that hunger in the Strip has reached catastrophic levels and "rejects any forced displacement of the civilian population in Gaza in violation of international law, including international humanitarian law and international human rights law, as applicable."
Similarly, the revised resolution "rejects actions that reduce the territory of Gaza, including through the establishment officially or unofficially of so-called buffer zones, as well as the widespread, systematic demolition of civilian infrastructure."
This comes as earlier, Israeli occupation Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected an appeal from US President Joe Biden to put off a planned ground invasion on Rafah, where 1.2 million Palestinians currently reside, telling Israeli members of the Knesset that he was "determined" to eliminate the Palestinian Resistance.
On its part, the Palestinian Resistance has reiterated that it demands an immediate and permanent ceasefire that ends the Israeli aggression, provides relief and assistance to the people in Gaza, facilitates the return of the displaced to their homes, and ensures the complete withdrawal of the Israeli occupation forces from the Strip.
In addition to providing the Israeli occupation entity with military support, the United States has vetoed three draft resolutions, two of which would have called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, citing concerns about jeopardizing ongoing efforts to broker a pause in fighting and release Israeli captives.
