Netanyahu says US 'abandoned' Israel in UN Vote

TEL AVIV: Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu accused the US of "abandoning" Israel after it abstained in a vote held Monday by the UN Security Council, which called for a suspension of fighting in Gaza during the remaining two months of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. By not exercising its veto, the US allowed the non-binding resolution to pass.

The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) released a statement on the vote saying, "The United States has abandoned its policy in the UN today. Just a few days ago, it supported a Security Council resolution that linked a call for a ceasefire to the release of hostages."

"China and Russia vetoed that resolution partly because they opposed a ceasefire that was linked to the release of hostages," said the PMO. "Yet today, Russia and China joined Algeria and others in supporting the new resolution precisely because it had no such linkage."

The statement also said it was "regrettable" the US did not veto the new resolution, which calls for a ceasefire that is not contingent on the release of hostages.

"This constitutes a clear departure from the consistent US position in the Security Council since the beginning of the war," it said. The PMO sad the resolution gives Hamas "hope that international pressure will force Israel to accept a ceasefire without the release of our hostages, thus harming both the war effort and the effort to release the hostages."

Prime Minister Netanyahu told the American government that should it not veto the resolution he would cancel a planned Israeli delegation's visit to the US and Netanyahu did just that after the vote.