State Dept. unable to confirm Netanyahu's meeting rescheduling
2 Min Read
This followed Netanyahu's announcement on March 25 of the cancellation of a US-Israeli meeting, citing the US's refusal to veto a UN Security Council resolution for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.
-
An Israeli and US flag are reflected on a conference table as Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin meets with Israeli Security Minister Yoav Gallant, at the Pentagon, March 26, 2024, in Washington (AP)
State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said on Tuesday that the US is unable to verify media reports suggesting that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is seeking to reschedule a canceled visit by an Israeli delegation to Washington for next week.
This comes after Netanyahu announced on March 25 that he had canceled an Israeli delegation's trip to Washington after the US refused to veto a UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.
Earlier today, he said he had done so to send a message to Hamas. "My decision to not send the delegation was a message to Hamas: Don't bet on this pressure to work. It's not going to work," he said.
"My decision to not send the delegation was a message to Hamas: Don't bet on this pressure to work. It's not going to work."
— Shelley G (@ShelleyGldschmt) March 27, 2024
Netanyahu describes the strategy behind not sending an Israeli delegation to meet with Biden officials after the UNSC vote for an unconditional ceasefire. pic.twitter.com/hhPhDB6oJN
According to Israeli news broadcaster KAN, it was reported that the US insisted that Netanyahu was the one who requested the White House to arrange a new date for the Israeli delegation's visit to Washington.
NBC likewise reported earlier in the day that Netanyahu's office informed the US that it wants to reschedule the meeting.
"I cant confirm that exact report, but I can say that we do think it's important for that meeting to happen," Miller said in a press briefing.
Read more: Biden, Netanyahu on collision course after US abstained from UNSC vote
On Monday, the UN Security Council passed the resolution to implement a ceasefire in Gaza.
Instead of vetoing the resolution, the US decided to abstain from the vote.
The abstention sparked outrage within the Israeli leadership, with Netanyahu lashing out at his allies for allegedly abandoning "Israel" in the UN.
"You cannot say you support Israel’s right to exist and to defend itself and then oppose Israel when it exercises that right... You cannot say you support Israel’s goal of destroying Hamas and then oppose Israel when it takes the actions necessary," Netanyahu said following the vote on the resolution.
The day the meeting was canceled, National Security Council Spokesperson John Kirby told reporters that the US was disappointed they would not be able to have a "fulsome conversation" about the "viable alternatives" to a Rafah attack.
