A caricature of Israeli prime minister, published by the French newspaper "La Presse," was removed from the Internet after strong pressure by the Zionist lobby.

Observers were quick to point out that the Israeli state has consistently ignored UN resolutions and will surely ignore this latest effort to establish a ceasefire in Gaza.  
 

Tel Aviv, March 26 (RHC)-- With the approval of the UN Security Council resolution that demands an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip -- and Washington's abstention, rather than a veto -- Tel Aviv is livid.  

Benjamin Netanyahu, the prime minister of Israel, responded to Washington’s abstention.  He said the move, which allowed the resolution to pass, “hurts both the war effort” and the effort to release the captives, according to a statement by his office.

Netanyahu “made it clear last night that if the U.S. withdraws from its principled position, he will not send the Israeli delegation to the U.S.”   “This is a clear retreat from the consistent position of the United States at the Security Council since the beginning of the war.”

President Joe Biden of the United States had asked Netanyahu to send a team for consultations over the regime's plans to launch a full-scale ground invasion of Gaza's southern city of Rafah, where more than 1 million Palestinians have sought shelter.

The UN Security Council’s call for a ceasefire comes as international fears have grown over the planned Israeli ground invasion.  Human rights groups say a ground invasion of Rafah would drastically worsen a heavy civilian death toll and humanitarian crisis in Gaza. 

Washington had already vetoed similar UN Security Council resolutions three times since Israel started its brutal campaign in Gaza in early October.  This new resolution demands an immediate ceasefire for the Muslim holy month of Ramadan and the release of Israelis the resistance movement Hamas took captive during Operation Al-Aqsa Storm on October 7, 2023.  It also underscores the “urgent need to expand the flow” of aid into Gaza.

Right after the vote, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomed the resolution.   “This resolution must be implemented. Failure would be unforgivable,” Guterres posted on X.

Observers were quick to point out that the Israeli state has consistently ignored UN resolutions and will surely ignore this latest effort to establish a ceasefire in Gaza.