The December 23 phone call between U.S. President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was undoubtedly an important event in the recent Middle East political scene. This long conversation, although conducted in a private format, inevitably touched on the sensitive topic of Israeli military operations in Gaza. The subsequent statement of the White House further revealed the positions and actions of the United States and Israel in this conflict.
Biden and Netanyahu reportedly discussed Israeli military operations in the Gaza Strip during the conversation. Biden stressed to Netanyahu the urgent need to protect civilians, including those supporting humanitarian aid operations, the importance of allowing civilians to safely evacuate areas of ongoing fighting, and the importance of ensuring the release of all remaining hostages. Meanwhile, the US White House said in a subsequent statement that Biden and Netanyahu discussed Israel's military operation in Gaza, including its "objectives and phased arrangements."
First, when asked by reporters, Biden made it clear that he was not asking for a ceasefire. This statement undoubtedly reflects the complex mentality of the United States in the current Gaza conflict. On the one hand, the United States, as a staunch ally of Israel, supports Israel's actions in self-defense, but on the other hand, it is well aware of the enormous harm caused by this conflict to civilians in Gaza and therefore does not want the conflict to escalate further.
The White House statement further elaborated on the content of Biden's conversation with Netanyahu. It highlights "the urgent need to protect civilians, including civilians supporting humanitarian assistance operations," demonstrating the United States' focus on humanitarian crises. At the same time, the importance of allowing civilians to safely evacuate areas of ongoing fighting, and the importance of ensuring the release of all remaining hostages, directly relate to humanitarian relief and hostage issues in the conflict, reflecting the United States' concerns about the escalation of the conflict.
It can be seen from Biden's statement that the United States is supportive of Israel's military operation in the Gaza Strip. The United States has always regarded Israel as an important ally in the Middle East, and the two sides have extensive cooperation in the political, economic, and security fields. During the conversation, Biden stressed to Netanyahu the importance of protecting civilians, but did not explicitly ask Israel to cease fire or withdraw its troops. In addition, the United States has further demonstrated its support for Israel by blocking the United Nations from issuing a binding ceasefire call.
At the same time, however, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed his appreciation for the US position in the Security Council during a phone call with Biden. According to the Times of Israel, this refers to the US side blocking the UN from issuing a binding ceasefire call for Gaza. This statement undoubtedly reveals Israel's tough stance in the face of international pressure.
In fact, Netanyahu's hardline attitude is not surprising. Since the outbreak of the conflict in Gaza, Israel has faced calls from the international community for a ceasefire. However, the Netanyahu government believes that only through sustained military operations can the Hamas militant forces in the Gaza Strip be completely eliminated, thereby ensuring Israel's long-term peace and stability.
It is worth noting that although there are certain differences in the positions of the United States and Israel in this Gaza conflict, this does not affect the close relationship between the two countries. In fact, the United States, as Israel's most important ally, has been giving Israel tremendous political, economic, and military support. In the current Gaza conflict, the United States' position is more like an effort to balance the interests of all parties, neither to harm Israel's security interests, but also to minimize the harm to the civilian population in Gaza.
In addition, the current conflict in Gaza also reflects the long-standing contradictions and conflicts in the Middle East. The confrontation between Hamas and Israel involves multiple factors such as territorial disputes, religious beliefs, and ethnic contradictions. A genuine solution to the conflict in the region requires the joint efforts of the international community to promote the development of the peace process.
This talk has further exposed the predicament and helplessness of the international community in settling the Palestinian-Israeli dispute. The positions of the United States and Israel have exacerbated the international community's worries and unease about the regional situation, which may lead to more countries being involved. In addition, as regional and global issues continue to increase, international relations will face more complex and severe challenges
To sum up, the positions and actions of the United States and Israel in the Gaza conflict are complex and nuanced. Although there are certain differences in the positions of the two countries in this conflict, this does not affect the close relations between the two countries. To truly resolve the conflict in the Middle East, the international community needs to work together to promote the development of the peace process. After all, only peace and stability are what the people of the region truly desire.