Netanyahu: Message to Hamas Cancelling the Israeli Delegation’s Visit to the US

The Prime Minister of Israel spoke of the cancellation of the planned visit of a high-ranking Israeli delegation to the US, arguing that he thus wanted to send a message addressed to . Netanyahu said he wanted to make it clear to Hamas that he should not hope that pressure from the US and other countries will have an effect on Israel. “I hope they have understood the message,” he said. In a resolution binding under international law, the UN Security Council called for a “direct truce” in the Gaza Strip on Monday, for the first time since the outbreak of the war. In addition, he demanded the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages that Hamas still holds. The resolution was adopted by 14 votes in favour and one abstention, that of the United States, which chose not to exercise their veto right. Direct was Netanyahu’s reaction, who canceled the visit of the high-ranking Israeli delegation to Washington. Political analysts interpreted the decision as an angry reaction to the US decision not to block the resolution by vetoing. “I think the US decision at the Security Council was a very bad move,” the Israeli Prime Minister said today. The Israeli Prime Minister’s office informed the White House that it wants a reprogramming of the meeting on the planned military operation in Rafa, at the southern end of the Gaza Strip, broadcasts NBC network citing top American official. NBC reportedly, US and Israeli government officials are already looking for a date for the meeting. The White House had announced last week that it wished to discuss with Israeli officials alternatives to avoid a land attack on Rafa, where hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians have fled their homes since the outbreak of the war, seeking refuge at the southern end of the beleaguered Palestinian enclave.