Israel-Hamas war: US frustration has grown in recent weeks – and new UN resolution is sign of that displeasure
Washington’s unwavering diplomatic support for Israel at the UN has put the US in an increasingly isolated position as many of the world’s countries have called for an end to the fighting in Gaza.
President Biden is also under pressure domestically and within his own party to change the course of the war.
As one of the permanent members of the Security Council, the US has twice used its power of a veto to thwart resolutions aimed at stopping the war.
Israel-Hamas war: latest updates
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Palestinians demand food and medicine
It is expected to do so again on Tuesday afternoon, when an Algerian-sponsored proposal is put to the Security Council calling for an immediate and permanent ceasefire.
The White House argues that it would complicate ongoing negotiations for a new hostage deal – and a pause in fighting now, without a deal, could result in the hostages being held indefinitely.
But US frustration with Israel and Benjamin Netanyahu has steadily grown in recent weeks as civilian fatalities in Gaza have continued to rise rapidly, with aid into Gaza restricted despite US requests.
News of a US-drafted resolution is, presumably, a sign of that displeasure and an attempt to reshape global opinion that the country is complicit in the war.
The wording, insofar of what we know from reports, will call for a temporary ceasefire, itself a shift in US tone, but only “as soon as practicable”, which leaves the timing open for interpretation.
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Netanyahu defiant over Rafah
In what is effectively criticism of Israel, the resolution also intends to say that an invasion of Rafah, in southern Gaza, “would have serious implications for regional peace and security” but only “under current circumstances”, which again leaves the door ajar for Israel to deliver an agreeable plan for the 1.2 million civilians seeking refuge there.
The US resolution would also be based on the condition that all remaining hostages are released, and all barriers are removed to let more humanitarian aid in.
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Palestinians gather in the hope of getting bags of flour in Gaza City. Pic Reuters
It’s unclear when this would be put to a vote – US diplomats at the UN have cautioned against it being today, saying that they are in no rush to push it forward.
Private discussions will first take place as the US will need to gather support and possibly tweak the wording to get it over the line.
Most UN Security Council members want an immediate ceasefire, so might object to it in its current format.
Vladimir Putin told Donald Trump he “will not back down” from Russia’s goals in Ukraine during a phone call today, the Kremlin has said.
The Russian president spoke to his US counterpart for almost an hour, and Mr Trump “again raised the issue of an early end to military action” in Ukraine, Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov told reporters.
In response, Mr Putin said “Russia will not back down” from its aims there, which include “the elimination of the well-known root causes that led to the current state of affairs,” Mr Ushakov said.
The phrase “root causes” is shorthand for Moscow’s argument that it was compelled to invade Ukraine in order to prevent the country from joining NATO.
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Trump and Putin’s latest call on Ukraine
Ukraine and its European allies say this is a pretext to justify what they call an imperial-style war, but Mr Trump has previously shown sympathy with Russia.
At the same time, Mr Putin told the US president that Russia is ready to continue negotiating, the aide said.
The Russian president said any prospective peace deal must see Ukraine give up its NATO bid and recognise his country’s territorial gains.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy, seen with Mr Trump in June, is pushing for Ukraine to join NATO. Pic: Reuters
He also briefed Mr Trump on agreements made last month, which saw Russia and Ukraine exchange prisoners of war and dead soldiers.
Specific dates for the third round of peace talks in Istanbul were not discussed – nor was the US decision to halt some shipments of critical weapons to Ukraine.
Mr Putin and Mr Trump’s call came after the Pentagon confirmed some weapons due to be sent to Ukraine have been held as it reviews military stockpiles.
The paused shipments include air defence missiles and precision-guided artillery, two people familiar with the situation have said.
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The decision led to Ukraine calling in the acting US envoy to Kyiv on Wednesday to underline the importance of military aid from Washington.
Kyiv also cautioned that the move would weaken Ukraine’s ability to defend itself against intensifying Russian airstrikes and battlefield advances.
Mr Putin and Mr Trump’s phone call was the sixth they have publicly disclosed since the US president returned to the White House in January.
Donald Trump’s ‘big beautiful bill’ has been passed by the US congress, sending it to the president to sign into law.
The controversial tax breaks and spending cuts package cleared its final hurdle as the Republican-controlled House of Representatives narrowly approved the bill with a 218-214 vote.
The bill delivers tax breaks Mr Trump promised in his 2024 election campaign, cuts health and food safety programmes, and zeroes out dozens of green energy incentives.
According to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO), it will lower tax revenues by $4.5trn over 10 years and add $3.4trn to the US’s $36.2trn debt.
But despite concerns over the 869-page bill’s price tag – and its hit to healthcare programmes – Republicans largely lined up in support, with just two rebelling on the vote.
House Speaker Mike Johnson is congratulated following the vote. Pic: Reuters
Every Democrat in Congress voted against the bill, blasting it as a giveaway to the wealthy that will leave millions of Americans uninsured.
House Speaker Mike Johnson made the Republicans’ closing argument for the bill, telling Congress: “For everyday Americans, this means real, positive change that they can feel.”
Earlier, the House’s Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries gave a record-breaking eight-hour and 44-minute speech against it.
“The focus of this bill, the justification for all of the cuts that will hurt everyday Americans, is to provide massive tax breaks for billionaires,” he said.
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The bill’s spending cuts largely target Medicaid, the health programme that covers 71 million Americans on low incomes.
It will tighten enrolment standards, institute a work requirement and clamp down on a funding mechanism used by states to boost federal payments.
The changes could leave nearly 12 million people without health insurance, according to the CBO.
On the other side of the ledger, it will stave off tax increases that were due to hit most Americans at the end of the year, when tax cuts from President Trump’s first term were due to expire.
It also sets up new tax breaks for overtime pay, seniors and tipped income.
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The bill narrowly passed the US Senate on Tuesday after vice president JD Vance cast the deciding vote to break a 50-50 tie.
Mr Trump will sign it into law on Friday at 5pm local time (10pm in the UK), the White House said.
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