*{box-sizing:border-box}body{margin:0;padding:0}a[x-apple-data-detectors]{color:inherit!important;text-decoration:inherit!important}#MessageViewBody a{color:inherit;text-decoration:none}p{line-height:inherit}.desktop_hide,.desktop_hide table{mso-hide:all;display:none;max-height:0;overflow:hidden}.image_block img+div{display:none} @media (max-width:620px){.image_block div.fullWidth{max-width:100%!important}.mobile_hide{display:none}.row-content{width:100%!important}.stack .column{width:100%;display:block}.mobile_hide{min-height:0;max-height:0;max-width:0;overflow:hidden;font-size:0}.desktop_hide,.desktop_hide table{display:table!important;max-height:none!important}.reverse{display:table;width:100%}.reverse .column.first{display:table-footer-group!important}.reverse .column.last{display:table-header-group!important}.row-7 td.column.first .border,.row-9 td.column.first .border{padding:5px 5px 15px 25px;border-top:0;border-right:0;border-bottom:0;border-left:0}.row-11 td.column.last .border,.row-7 td.column.last .border,.row-9 td.column.last .border{padding:5px 20px 25px 5px;border-top:0;border-right:0;border-bottom:0;border-left:0}.row-11 td.column.first .border{padding:5px 5px 15px 25px;border-top:0;border-right:0;border-bottom:15px solid transparent;border-left:0}} Welcome to The Hill's Defense & NatSec newsletter{beacon}
Defense &
National Security
Defense &
National Security
The Big Story
Netanyahu's canceled delegation to DC perplexes White House
The already tense relationship between the U.S. and Israel further deteriorated Monday with the passage of the United Nations Security Council cease-fire resolution, prompting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to cancel a high-level delegation meant to travel to Washington this week.
© Ronen Zvulun/Pool Photo via AP
Netanyahu and his radical right-wing coalition were roiled after the U.S. abstained from a vote of the U.N. Security Council proposal calling for a ceasefire in Gaza during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, allowing the measure to pass. The Israeli prime minister in recent weeks has also publicly seethed over what he says is a bid by the White House and Congressional Democrats to kneecap his political standing inside his own country.
White House spokesperson John Kirby said the White House was “disappointed” and “perplexed” by Netanyahu’s response but tried to play down the rift, insisting that the countries’ relationship has not hit a new low and that U.S. policy had not changed.
“These are two leaders who have known each other for going on now four decades, and they haven’t in the past agreed on everything and they don’t agree on everything right now,” Kirby said.
But Israel’s reaction reflects an ever-growing divide between the two steadfast allies, a relationship that is already soured ahead of a planned Israeli offensive into Gaza’s southernmost city Rafah, a military move American officials have warned against.
The canceled delegation was intended to discuss Israel’s plans for Rafah, where more than 1 million Palestinians are sheltering after a brutal Israeli air and ground campaign has forced tens of thousands of people to flee northern parts of the enclave. White House officials have said that a ground invasion of the city without an accepted plan would create a humanitarian disaster.
“We think that a ground invasion, especially without any type of credible plan, is a mistake, given the large number of people, displaced people that are there at the moment,” Pentagon Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder told reporters Monday. “There are ways to go about addressing the threat of Hamas while also taking into account civilian safety.”
But after the U.S. declined to veto the U.N. Security Council resolution – which also called for the immediate release of all of the more than 130 hostages Hamas had taken – Netanyahu’s office released a statement calling Washington’s abstention “a clear retreat” from its previous position and one that would hurt efforts to fight Hamas in Gaza and to free hostages.
The U.S., which had previously vetoed three other resolutions calling for a cease-fire, rejected those claims.
“The prime minister’s office seems to be indicating through public statements that we somehow changed here. We haven’t,” Kirby said at the White House daily briefing Monday. “And we get to decide what our policy is. It seems like the prime minister’s office is choosing to create a perception of daylight here when they don’t need to do that.”
And State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller called the withdrawn delegation “surprising and unfortunate,” seeing as the United States had ahead notified Israel’s government they were planning to abstain from voting on the resolution.
Read the full report at TheHill.com.
Welcome to The Hill’s Defense & National Security newsletter, I'm Ellen Mitchell — your guide to the latest developments at the Pentagon, on Capitol Hill and beyond.
Did someone forward you this newsletter? Subscribe here.
Essential Reads
How policy will affect defense and national security now and in
the future:
Pentagon’s acting policy undersecretary to step down after just 9 months
Acting Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Sasha Baker will resign from her post at the end of April after just nine months in the job as the top policymaker for the Pentagon. The undersecretary of Defense for policy is the No. 3 leadership role on the civilian side of the Pentagon, a crucial job at the department while the U.S. backs Ukraine and Israel in two major wars. But Baker’s is the second resignation from the …
Full Story Trump says Israel made ‘very big mistake’ with Gaza destruction
Former President Trump says Israel made a “very big mistake” with the invasion of Gaza, noting that broadcast images of the widespread destruction have turned many against the country in his strongest criticism of Israel since the beginning of its war against Hamas last year. In an interview with Israel Hayom on Sunday, Trump criticized the Israeli government for its publicizing its mass-bombing campaign against Gaza and the …
Full Story Netanyahu cancels Washington delegation after UN cease-fire vote
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday canceled a high-stakes delegation to Washington after the U.S. declined to veto a United Nations Security Council resolution calling for an immediate cease-fire in Gaza during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Netanyahu’s office issued a statement calling the U.S. abstention “a clear departure from the consistent position of the United States at the Security Council since …
Full Story On Our Radar
Upcoming things we're watching on our beat:
- Brookings Institution will host a conversation with Vietnam’s Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son at 11 a.m.
In Other News
Branch out with a different read from The Hill:
Rubio links ISIS threat to US border after Moscow attack
Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) drew a connection Sunday between the deadly ISIS attack on a Moscow concert hall Friday and U.S.-Mexico border policy, a top issue for Republicans ahead of the 2024 presidential election. Speaking on ABC’s “This Week,” Rubio, the vice chair of the Senate …
Full Story On Tap Tomorrow
Events in and around the defense world:
- The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace will have a talk on “Russia has re-elected Putin. What next?” at 5 p.m.
What We're Reading
News we've flagged from other outlets:
Trending Today
Two key stories on The Hill right now:
RFK Jr. seeks major boost with VP announcement
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s impending announcement of his running mate is threatening to roil the 2024 presidential race, with allies and observers saying … Read more
Greene: GOP’s Gallagher should be expelled in time for special election
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) called on Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) on Sunday to push for Rep. Mike Gallagher’s (R-Wis.) expulsion from Congress … Read more
Opinions in The Hill
Op-eds related to defense & national security submitted to The Hill:
- TikTok’s threat to America is in a category by itself, it must be heavily regulated
- The truth about China’s influence on American agriculture
- Will Putin risk World War III?
You're all caught up. See you tomorrow!
Check out The Hill's Defense page for the latest coverage.
Like this newsletter? Take a moment to view all our topical emails here 📩
If you believe this has been sent to you in error, please safely unsubscribe.
Close Thank you for signing up!
Subscribe to more newsletters here
The latest in politics and policy. Direct to your inbox. Sign up for the Defense and National Security newsletter Subscribe
login
who are we?
contact us
qosheapp
Toi Staff
Gideon Levy
Belen Fernandez
Rami G Khouri
Mort Laitner
Donald Low
Ali Fathollah-Nejad
Nikkei Editorial
Michael Kwet
visit website
