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Oh my. Joe Biden picked this fight, and now he’s going to get it — no matter how useless this UN Security Council resolution actually is. And typically for Biden and Antony Blinken, they blundered their way into the hands of Russia and China.
First, Biden and Blinken tried to pressure Israel’s unity government to forego an assault on Hamas’ remaining four brigades in Rafah by proposing a UNSC resolution for a cease-fire. That language required the « unconditional release » of all hostages by Hamas as well. Russia and China vetoed that resolution and replaced it with a conditionless demand for a ceasefire, clearly favoring Hamas and its patron, Iran.
And after initially threatening a veto, Biden and Blinken instead abstained:
The United Nations Security Council on Monday demanded a cease-fire in Gaza during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, its first demand to halt fighting.
The United States abstained on the resolution, which also demanded the release of all hostages taken captive during Hamas’ Oct. 7 surprise attack in southern Israel. But the measure does not link that demand to the cease-fire during Ramadan, which ends April 9.
The vote comes after Russia and China vetoed a U.S.-sponsored resolution Friday that would have supported “an immediate and sustained cease-fire” in the Israeli-Hamas conflict.
