Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has canceled a planned trip for his emissaries to come to Washington and meet with Biden administration officials about the future of the Gaza war. The premier did so because America refused to veto a United Nations Security Council resolution calling for an immediate cease-fire and release of hostages. 

“In light of the change in the US position, Prime Minister Netanyahu decided that the delegation will not leave to Washington,” the prime minister’s office said in a statement to the Israeli radio station KAN. 

“The US retreated from its consistent position in the Security Council linking a cease-fire with the release of the hostages,” Mr. Netanyahu says. 

On Monday morning, the Security Council met and adopted a resolution that calls on Israel and Hamas to agree to a cease-fire and a release of hostages held in Gaza. The American representative, Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield, abstained from the vote and allowed the resolution to pass. She said after that the administration “fully supports” the efforts to reach a cease-fire agreement. 

The Israeli defense minister, Yoav Gallant, will still have a meeting with the White House today. He is in Washington to meet with the national security advisor, Jake Sullivan. 

“Defense Minister Gallant will meet today at the White House with National Security Advisor Sullivan and I have no doubt that in this meeting we will talk about the plans for the Rafah operation. We are focusing on moving forward with the abductees deal and bringing aid to Gaza,” Mr. Kirby said in a statement. 

Mr. Kirby also said in a statement that the White House was “very disappointed” that Mr. Netanyahu decided to cancel his delegation’s trip to Washington.