Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addresses the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, in Jerusalem, Feb. 18, 2024. Photo: REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday said he will not send a delegation as planned to Washington after the United States refrained from vetoing a UN Security Council proposal calling for a ceasefire in Gaza.

Netanyahu, according to a statement from his office, said that Washington’s failure to block the proposal was a “clear retreat” from its previous position, and would hurt war efforts against Hamas, as well as efforts to release over 130 hostages in Gaza captivity.

“In light of the change in the American position, Prime Minister Netanyahu decided the delegation would not leave,” his office said.

The UN Security Council voted to demand an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Palestinian terrorist group Hamas and the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages. The United States abstained from the vote.

The White House denied that the US abstention reflected a change in American policy.

The high-level delegation was due to travel to Washington to discuss a planned Israeli military operation in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, the last Hamas stronghold in the Palestinian enclave.

White House national security spokesperson John Kirby fielded queries about Israel’s decision to pull out of the meeting this week just as Netanyahu was announcing it.

Kirby said the decision was unfortunate but that the United States would bring up its concerns about Israel’s policies as part of ongoing discussions between the two governments.

“It’s disappointing. We’re very disappointed that they won’t be coming to Washington, DC to allow us to have a fulsome conversation with them about viable alternatives to them going in on the ground in Rafah.”

“Nothing has changed about our view that a major ground offensive in Rafah would be a major mistake,” Kirby said.

He said discussions between visiting Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and national security adviser Jake Sullivan, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and others would cover the same points that the US team had planned to raise with the delegation.