US urges Israel to drop plans for Rafah ground offensive
The US has proposed a UN security council resolution calling for a temporary ceasefire and for Israel not to go ahead with a planned offensive on Rafah in southern Gaza.
The draft text marks the first time the US has explicitly backed a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas conflict, though it adds that the temporary truce should be begun “as soon as practicable”, leaving some room for manoeuvre by the Israeli military.
The text is being offered by the Biden administration as an alternative to an Algerian draft resolution calling for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire that is due to be debated on Tuesday.
The US appeal over Rafah, where about half of Gaza’s 2.3 million population have sought refuge, echoes comments made by Joe Biden in recent days. But the significance of the draft resolution is as a signal that Washington is willing to go through the UN to put pressure on Israel and not rely solely on bilateral messages.
According to a text seen by the Guardian, the US draft resolution says the security council “determines that under current circumstances a major ground offensive into Rafah would result in further harm to civilians and their further displacement including potentially into neighbouring countries, which would have serious implications for regional peace and security, and therefore underscores that such a major ground offensive should not proceed under current circumstances”.
Richard Gowan, the UN director for the International Crisis Group, said on social media: “I suspect that Israel will worry a lot more about this draft resolution from the [US mission to the UN] than louder or stronger demands from other UN members.”
It was not clear that the draft would be passed or even submitted to a vote. A resolution needs at least nine votes in favour and no vetoes by the five permanent members – the US, France, Britain, Russia or China – in order to be adopted. But it could be the basis for negotiations with other council members in the coming days.
The US draft begins by condemning Hamas for its 7 October attack, specifically the “taking and killing of hostages, murder and sexual violence including rape”. The US mission had previously complained that earlier security council resolutions had omitted explicit blame of Hamas.
The US text calls for protection of civilians and for the provision of humanitarian aid, but does not specifically mention the role and responsibilities of the Israeli government or armed forces.
The UK foreign secretary, David Cameron, also called for “a stop to the fighting right now” and moves towards a lasting peace rather an offensive in Rafah.
Speaking to reporters on a visit to Stanley in the Falkland Islands on Monday, he said: “We are calling for a stop to the fighting right now, we think that what we need is a pause in the fighting and the hostages to come out and aid to go in. That should happen straight away.
“Let’s have the stop to the fighting now, have that hostage release and then build on it from here,” Lord Cameron said. “That’s what we need to happen rather than an offensive in Rafah.”