What happened
The U.S. on Monday declined to veto a United Nations Security Council resolution calling for a two-week "immediate cease-fire" in Gaza, "leading to a lasting sustainable cease-fire, and also the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages." After the resolution passed 14-0, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sharply criticized the Biden administration for abstaining and called off a high-level delegation set to meet with White House officials on U.S. alternatives to a full invasion of Rafah.
Who said what
White House national security spokesperson John Kirby said calling for a cease-fire and hostage release is not a "shift in our policy" and the Biden team is "kind of perplexed" that the Israelis are "choosing to create a perception of daylight here when they don't need to do that."
The commentary
The White House views this "public rift with Israel" as an "artificial crisis" Netanyahu "manufactured" for "domestic political reasons," Barak Ravid said at Axios. President Joe Biden "did everything he could for months to avoid a big public fight," even after Netanyahu publicly dismissed his humanitarian concerns, former State Department official Frank Lowenstein said to The Washington Post. Now we have this "very serious shift" in how Biden will "manage the Israelis throughout the rest of the war," and they will either "pay attention now" or watch relations deteriorate.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
What next?
U.N. Secretary General António Guterres said failure to implement his resolution "would be unforgivable." Israeli officials said they won't cease firing.
-
Could Trump run for a third term?The Explainer Constitutional amendment limits US presidents to two terms, but Trump diehards claim there is a loophole
-
Political cartoons for November 28Cartoons Friday's political cartoons include economic diagnosis, climate distractions, and more
-
What does the fall in net migration mean for the UK?Today’s Big Question With Labour and the Tories trying to ‘claim credit’ for lower figures, the ‘underlying picture is far less clear-cut’
-
Judge halts Trump’s DC Guard deploymentSpeed Read The Trump administration has ‘infringed upon the District’s right to govern itself,’ the judge ruled
-
Trump accuses Democrats of sedition meriting ‘death’Speed Read The president called for Democratic lawmakers to be arrested for urging the military to refuse illegal orders
-
Court strikes down Texas GOP gerrymanderSpeed Read The Texas congressional map ordered by Trump is likely an illegal racial gerrymander, the court ruled
-
Trump defends Saudi prince, shrugs off Khashoggi murderSpeed Read The president rebuked an ABC News reporter for asking Mohammed bin Salman about the death of a Washington Post journalist at the Saudi Consulate in 2018
-
Congress passes bill to force release of Epstein filesSpeed Read The Justice Department will release all files from its Jeffrey Epstein sex-trafficking investigation
-
Trump says he will sell F-35 jets to Saudi ArabiaSpeed Read The president plans to make several deals with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman this week
-
Judge blasts ‘profound’ errors in Comey caseSpeed Read ‘Government misconduct’ may necessitate dismissing the charges against the former FBI director altogether
-
Ecuador rejects push to allow US military basesSpeed Read Voters rejected a repeal of a constitutional ban on US and other foreign military bases in the country
