Netanyahu says Israel will go into Rafah even without US support
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March 22, 2024 Israel-Hamas war

By Kathleen Magramo, Sana Noor Haq, Adrienne Vogt and Aditi Sangal, CNN

Updated 7:00 p.m. ET, March 22, 2024
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11:38 a.m. ET, March 22, 2024

Netanyahu says Israel will go into Rafah even without US support

From Amir Tal

A Palestinian girl looks up to watch a military drone as she stands on the rubble of destroyed houses in the Rafah refugee camp in Gaza on March 21.
A Palestinian girl looks up to watch a military drone as she stands on the rubble of destroyed houses in the Rafah refugee camp in Gaza on March 21. Mohammed Abed/AFP/Getty Images

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he will proceed with a ground offensive into the southernmost Gaza city of Rafah with or without US support, following a meeting with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Friday.

"There is no way for us to defeat Hamas without going into Rafah and eliminating the rest of the battalions there. And I told him that I hope we will do it with the support of the USA, but if we have to - we will do it alone," Netanyahu said in a video post on X.

Netanyahu also emphasized how appreciative he is that the US and Israel have been "standing together in the war against Hamas" for more than five months.

"I also told him that we recognize the need to evacuate the civilian population from the war zones and of course also take care of the humanitarian needs and we are working to that end," Netanyahu said.

More background: Over 1 million displaced people are sheltering in Rafah after fleeing northern and central parts of Gaza. Officials from Israel and the US are expected to meet in Washington next week to discuss alternatives to the looming offensive.

A displaced Palestinian in the city told CNN last month: “The bombing is getting closer slowly in Rafah. We do not know where we will go after Rafah.” He said conditions in Rafah are “very difficult,” describing a “large number of people, chaos, and high prices.”

11:29 a.m. ET, March 22, 2024

Blinken greets protesters in Tel Aviv calling for release of hostages

From CNN’s Jennifer Hansler 

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken shakes hands with a man as he meets demonstrators calling for the release of hostages kidnapped in the October 7 attack, outside the Kempinski hotel in Tel Aviv, Israel, on March 22.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken shakes hands with a man as he meets demonstrators calling for the release of hostages kidnapped in the October 7 attack, outside the Kempinski hotel in Tel Aviv, Israel, on March 22. Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken greeted a group of protesters in Tel Aviv calling for the release of hostages held in Gaza.

The protesters, holding Israeli and American flags and signs, shouted various chants of thanks and calls for a hostage deal prior to his arrival.

“Thank you Blinken for saving their lives,” they chanted. “We trust you Blinken, save their lives. We need you, Blinken save their lives.” 
“S-O-S, U-S-A!” they chanted. “We want them alive, today, now! Help, help, we need your help!”

 

11:42 a.m. ET, March 22, 2024

Rafah mission is "imperative," Israeli war cabinet member tells Blinken

From CNN's Benjamin Brown in London

National Unity Party
National Unity Party

Israeli war cabinet minister Benny Gantz told US Secretary of State Antony Blinken that "completing" Israel's mission in Gaza, including in Rafah, is "imperative."

Gantz spoke to Blinken on Friday as the US Secretary of State visits Israel as a part of a diplomatic push for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.

His remarks come amid growing international concern over an Israeli operation in Rafah in southern Gaza. There are an estimated 1.4 million people in the city, many of whom have been displaced several times from other parts of Gaza.

Gantz, a key political rival of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, told Blinken that Israel will "enable humanitarian solutions to aid civilians in Gaza" while "ensuring critical aid does not fall into the hands of Hamas."

Gaza aid crisis: The World Health Organization's Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Thursday said that only more land crossings into Gaza can prevent famine in the Gaza Strip.

Last week, Colonel Elad Goren of Israel's Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) said that "the problem isn't opening more crossings, the problem is distributing the aid to the people in Gaza." Goren said that international aid organizations "do not have the capacity and have yet to take real steps to improve on distribution of aid across Gaza."

Gantz, in Friday's meeting with Blinken, "reiterated his profound appreciation for the continued support for Israel and deep commitment to Israel's security," according to his office.

11:21 a.m. ET, March 22, 2024

What Israeli and Palestinian ambassadors are saying following the UN Security Council's vote

From CNN's Jennifer Hauser

Gilad Erdan, Permanent Representative of Israel to the United Nations, speaks during a Security Council meeting at United Nations headquarters on March 22.
Gilad Erdan, Permanent Representative of Israel to the United Nations, speaks during a Security Council meeting at United Nations headquarters on March 22. Yuki Iwamura/AP

Israeli Ambassador Gilad Erdan criticized the United Nations Security Council's failure to adopt the US-proposed resolution calling for a ceasefire tied to the release of hostages in Gaza.

"Not to condemn Hamas is a stain that will never be forgotten," he said while addressing the Security Council Friday after the vote.

"The American resolution, should it have passed, would've marked a moment of morality for the UN. ... It would have been the very first time that this council or any UN body condemned Hamas and their brutal massacre. Yet sadly, for purely political reasons, this resolution did not pass, and terrorists can continue benefiting from this council whitewashing their crimes," Erdan said.

Permanent Representative of Algeria to the United Nations Amar Bendjama, left, and China's ambassador to the United Nations, Zhang Jun, vote against a U.S. ceasefire resolution during a UN Security Council meeting at the United Nations headquarters on March 22.
Permanent Representative of Algeria to the United Nations Amar Bendjama, left, and China's ambassador to the United Nations, Zhang Jun, vote against a U.S. ceasefire resolution during a UN Security Council meeting at the United Nations headquarters on March 22. Eduardo Munoz Alvarez/Getty Images

Meanwhile, the Council of Arab Ambassadors to the UN spoke to reporters outside the meeting.

"The ambassador of Algeria, who spoke inside the Security Council, reflects unanimously the unified Arab position, the draft resolution which was not adopted in the Security Council for the obvious reasons, including it is one-sided and it did not mention Israel — except maybe one time — and we reject framing what is happening as a terrorism issue," Palestinian Ambassador Riyad Mansour said.

Russia, China and Algeria voted against the US-proposed draft resolution calling for a ceasefire tied to the release of hostages in Gaza. Only Russia and China have veto power.

10:58 a.m. ET, March 22, 2024

Spain, Ireland, Malta and Slovenia signal "readiness" to recognize Palestinian state in two-state solution

From CNN’s Benjamin Brown and Louis Mian

The Prime Ministers of Spain, Ireland, Malta and Slovenia have discussed their “readiness” to recognize a Palestinian state.

The prime ministers met Friday to discuss the issue at a European Council meeting and said they would recognize a Palestinian state “when it can make a positive contribution and the circumstances are right.”

 “We are agreed that the only way to achieve lasting peace and stability in the region is through implementation of a two-state solution, with Israeli and Palestinian States living side-by-side, in peace and security,” the European leaders said in a joint statement.

Spain’s Pedro Sánchez, Ireland’s Leo Varadkar, Malta’s Robert Abela and Slovenia’s Robert Golob said they also agreed on the need “urgent need for an immediate ceasefire, the unconditional release of hostages and a rapid, massive and sustained increase of humanitarian aid into Gaza.”

10:43 a.m. ET, March 22, 2024

France will propose Gaza initiative to UN Security Council

From CNN's Pierre Bairin

French President Emmanuel Macron attends a press conference on the day of a European Union leaders summit in Brussels, Belgium, on March 22.
French President Emmanuel Macron attends a press conference on the day of a European Union leaders summit in Brussels, Belgium, on March 22. Yves Herman/Reuters

French President Emmanuel Macron told reporters in Brussels that France will propose its own initiative on Gaza after Russia and China vetoed the US resolution at the United Nations Security Council on Friday.

"The Security Council must now decide on an immediate ceasefire and humanitarian access. After the veto posed by Russia and China a few minutes ago, we will resume, on the basis of the French draft resolution in the Security Council and work with our American, European and Arab partners in this sense to find an agreement," Macron said while speaking at the European Union leaders' summit in Brussels.

France's Ambassador to the UN Nicolas de Rivière also said his country will propose an initiative to the council. France voted in favor of the US proposal Friday.

Macron called for "an immediate and lasting ceasefire," more humanitarian aid to starving civilians in Gaza and an unconditional release of hostages. Macron also urged Israel against carrying out a ground offensive in the southern city of Rafah, which he said "would only worsen an already catastrophic humanitarian situation."

10:07 a.m. ET, March 22, 2024

US-proposed Gaza resolution at UN shows shifting position during war, analysts say

From CNN's Nadeen Ebrahim

Even though a United Nations Security Council resolution put forth by the United States calling for a ceasefire in Gaza was vetoed on Friday, analysts said it was a major departure from US policy on Israel during the war.  

The draft resolution called for “an immediate and sustained ceasefire… in connection with the release of all remaining hostages,” and comes after Washington vetoed three prior UN resolutions calling for a ceasefire.  

The resolution included phrasing that the US was unwilling to use before, according to Frank Lowenstein — who worked as special envoy for Israeli-Palestinian negotiations under US President Barack Obama during the 2014 Israel-Gaza war — referring to “immediate ceasefire,” which the former diplomat said could help bring the US back from months of international “isolation.”

But Lowenstein says Russia's veto "was a blatant effort ... (to) keep the US isolated despite the fact that the resolution is in line with the vast majority of the Security Council. They are playing politics with the ceasefire, clearly putting their desire to isolate the US internationally ahead of the interests of the Palestinians in Gaza who desperately need a ceasefire.”

The US, Israel’s most prominent defender on the world stage, has faced severe criticism in Arab countries and in Europe for its refusal to call for a ceasefire early in the Gaza war as well as its reluctance to translate its verbal criticism of Israel’s conduct to diplomatic action. 

“I think there has been a gap from day one, a gap between the language and the actions,” said Yossi Mekelberg, an associate fellow with the Middle East and North Africa program at the Chatham House think tank in London. “But I think gradually, the language and the action are coming closer, closing the gap, millimeter by millimeter.” 

10:04 a.m. ET, March 22, 2024

US condemns vetoes from Russia and China on proposed UN resolution

From CNN's Jennifer Hauser

Chinese Ambassador to the United Nations Zhang Jun, right, and Algerian Ambassador to the U.N. Amar Bendjama, center, vote against a United States-sponsored resolution calling for a ceasefire amid the conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, during a meeting of the U.N. Security Council at U.N. headquarters in New York City on March 22.
Chinese Ambassador to the United Nations Zhang Jun, right, and Algerian Ambassador to the U.N. Amar Bendjama, center, vote against a United States-sponsored resolution calling for a ceasefire amid the conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, during a meeting of the U.N. Security Council at U.N. headquarters in New York City on March 22. Mike Segar/Reuters

US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield criticized vetoes from Russia and China on the US-proposed draft resolution calling for a ceasefire tied to the release of hostages in Gaza.

Thomas-Greenfield told the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on Friday that Russia and China have not condemned Hamas for its attacks on October 7. She said nearly every council member voted to secure an immediate and sustained ceasefire as part of a deal that would lead to the release of hostages.

"Once again, Russia put politics over progress," she told the UNSC.

UK Ambassador Barbara Woodward also said the United Kingdom is deeply disappointed that Russia and China were unable to support the council. 

She said the UK will continue to do everything it can to get aid into Gaza "as quickly as possible by land, sea, and air, but an immediate stop in the fighting is the only way to get aid into Gaza that is so desperately needed and make progress towards a permanent, sustainable ceasefire."

10:09 a.m. ET, March 22, 2024

UN Security Council does not pass US-proposed resolution supporting ceasefire tied to hostage release

From CNN's Jennifer Hansler

The United Nations Security Council meets to consider a United States-sponsored resolution calling for a ceasefire during the conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, at U.N. headquarters in New York City on March 22.
The United Nations Security Council meets to consider a United States-sponsored resolution calling for a ceasefire during the conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, at U.N. headquarters in New York City on March 22. Mike Segar/Reuters

The United Nations Security Council voted to not adopt a draft resolution brought to the UN by the United States Friday calling for a ceasefire tied to the release of hostages.

There were 11 votes in favor, three against and one abstention from Guyana. Russia and China vetoed the resolution, along with Algeria.

Previously, the US had vetoed similar ceasefire resolutions three times.