Benjamin Netanyahu has never been so alone since the war in Gaza started. On Monday, February 25, the Israeli prime minister took his confrontation with his main ally to a new level, denouncing in a bitter statement Washington's failure to veto the first UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.

In retaliation, he gave up sending to the United States Minister Ron Dermer, his main link with Joe Biden's administration, and National Security Adviser Tzachi Hanegbi. These two men were due to hear advice this week from an administration hostile to its plans for a massive troop deployment in Rafah, in the south of the territory. Netanyahu said he had "made it clear" to the Americans by Sunday evening that their visit would be canceled if the resolution were adopted.

"The United States has abandoned its policy in the UN today," he lamented, arguing, despite Washington's denials, that this was indeed a "clear retreat from the consistent position of the US in the Security Council since the beginning of this war." He accused the resolution of offering Hamas "hope that international pressure will force Israel to accept a ceasefire without the release of our hostages."

For its part, the Biden administration pointed out that it welcomed Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant with open arms on Monday, when he was scheduled to meet Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan. But these talks also appear to be a way of playing on the divisions in the Israeli government, by seeking an alternative to Netanyahu.

Gallant has not been seen with the prime minister for weeks and is not making a secret of his disagreement with the way the war is being pursued. As did former chief of the general staff Benny Gantz, a member of the war cabinet, who was welcomed under similar conditions in February. Gantz said on Monday evening that "the prime minister would do well to visit the US himself and talk directly with President Biden."

By Friday, a visit to Israel by the US secretary of state had come to a bitter end. Antony Blinken warned Netanyahu that Israel's security and place in the world were in jeopardy. "You might not realize it until it's too late," Blinken said, according to the online media outlet Axios. Shortly afterward, Netanyahu again promised to invade Rafah in a filmed speech. In front of the bridge of his plane before leaving Tel Aviv, Blinken publicly repeated his warning.

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