US Ambassador to the UN Robert Wood raises his hand during a Security Council session on Israel’s war on Gaza, New York City, December 8, 2023 (Charly Triballeau/AFP)


EA on International Media: Israel’s “Open-Ended” War v. Hamas and Gaza’s Civilians


UPDATE 1914 GMT:

I rejoined Times Radio on Saturday afternoon for a longer analysis, hosted by Alexis Conran.

It is not the case, as Israel’s propaganda claims, that the UN has given Hamas a free pass.

Rather, after the 7-day “humanitarian pause” earlier this month, the Israeli War Cabinet decided to carry out its offensive all the way across Gaza, including the bombing to support that offensive.

A ceasefire would stop them from trying to “destroy Hamas”.


UPDATE 1514 GMT:

I spoke further with India’s WION News about the effective US support for Israel’s war in Gaza, through the American veto of a UN Security Council resolution for a ceasefire.

The US and most of the international community for weeks tried to keep the Israelis from pursuing a ground offensive and all-out bombing.

But when at the end of the day the Israeli War Cabinet decided to go all-in, the US gave up any leverage by vetoing the UN resolution — and, more importantly, by not cutting off military aid.


ORIGINAL ENTRY: I joined Times Radio on Friday night to discuss the US veto of a UN Security Council resolution for a ceasefire in Israel’s war on Hamas and Gaza’s civilians.

Of the 15 Security Council members, 13 — including France — supported the UAE-drafted resolution. The UK abstained.

Listen to Discussion from 6:31

I explain why the US is no longer trying to check Israel’s “open-ended” war. Specifically, I look at the gap between the US rhetoric calling on Israel to limit harm to civilians, and the reality of Washington supplying to the Israelis more than 15,000 bombs — more than 10,000 of them unguided — and more than 50,000 shells, with President Joe Biden announcing on Friday that the US will deliver another 45,000 for tanks.