Why is Washington refusing to let the UN do its job?

The lack of progress in indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas over Gaza has led three key parties, the US, Qatar, and Egypt, to issue a strongly worded joint statement, saying: “It is time to bring immediate relief both to the long-suffering people of Gaza as well as the long-suffering hostages and their families. The time has come to conclude the ceasefire and hostages and detainees release deal.”

The statement on Aug. 8 notwithstanding, Israel carried out yet another mass killing of Palestinians in Gaza two days later, this time during morning prayers at a school where families were sheltering. More than 100 Palestinians died. Israeli military claimed it killed 19 fighters from Hamas and Islamic Jihad in the attack, but the two groups strongly denied this.

A CNN reporter, Allegra Goodwin, tweeted on X that the US news network had obtained evidence that a “US-made GBU-39 small diameter bomb” was used in the attack on Al-Tabin school in northern Gaza.

What is mind-boggling is that after 10 months of brutal killings and claims of a possible genocide against Palestinians, the US is refusing to allow the world’s top security and peace forum to do its job. Washington has effectively disabled the UN Security Council by repeatedly using its power of veto — an inexplicable move for a superpower that insists it wants an immediate end to the conflict.

US President Joe Biden issued a framework for a ceasefire agreement two months ago, yet nothing has happened. A superpower cannot supply weapons to a country accused of war crimes and genocide, while doing little to stop the carnage.

If the US is serious, there is a clear and effective route. The Biden administration must simply put to the Security Council a resolution on behalf of its partners in the negotiations, Egypt and Qatar. Naturally, it would make no sense that the US would veto its own submitted resolution. If the Israelis or the Hamas militants refuse to adhere to the resolution, it should be given added political “bite” and put to another vote. The UN charter calls for sanctions and other forms of punishment for those who refuse to adhere to binding resolutions of the world body.

While the above seems obvious, and the US has already done that on behalf of several countries, including Ukraine, most observers doubt that it will happen. Biden need not worry about any negative electoral effects of such a decision because he is no longer running for a second term. He may want his vice president and presumptive Democratic nominee to win in November, but that is unlikely to affect his own policy decisions.

Joe Biden may be refusing to pressure the Israeli leader because of his own beliefs

Daoud Kuttab

A more worrying reason for the Biden administration continuing to disable the Security Council might be found closer to home. Despite Biden’s public disagreement with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, he may be refusing to pressure the Israeli leader because of his own beliefs. Biden has said publicly as late as July this year that he considers himself a Zionist, adding that he has done “more for the Palestinian community than anybody.” On the latter claim, few would agree, but the admission of being a Zionist shows that the US leader is not an honest broker. Claims of disagreement with his Israeli counterpart must be seen in the bigger picture of a brotherly disagreement, not a major policy dispute. Along with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Biden has scuttled US law and allowed offensive weapons to be used against Palestinian civilians without a sincere effort to stop arming Israel.

If the White House is unwilling to use the world’s peace and security forum, other nations have an obligation under international law to do so. Preventing further killing and war crimes requires an immediate meeting of the UN Security Council. Washington should be put on the spot to show whether it backs its own proposal for a ceasefire and prisoner exchange, or whether it values its alliance with a rogue state more than world peace.

• Daoud Kuttab, an award-winning Palestinian journalist, is a director of Community Media Network. X: @daoudkuttab