During the past few days, the Gaza Strip witnessed a temporary ceasefire for the mutual release of the arrested and prisoners and limited aid to Gaza; a ceasefire was finally implemented not due to respect for the UN General Assembly's vote or the Security Council's resolution, but because of Qatar's political bargaining and mediation. Why the United Nations and its various institutions, as well as the Arab and Islamic world, despite the various meetings they held, could not do anything to end the anti-human disaster that the Zionist regime created in Gaza? However, an important issue that is perhaps less directly investigated is the role of the United States in the continuation and cessation of the Gaza war. America, which is the most important ally and supporter of the Zionist regime, and unlike other power blocs, has various tools to force this regime to end the war.

This country can threaten the Zionist regime to finish arms aid, lack of support and defense in the United Nations, or stop its long-term efforts for normalization with Arab countries. However, Joe Biden's government does not follow such a policy towards this regime. In fact, not only has this country not used the tools available to it, rather, for more than a month, it vetoed any kind of Security Council resolution to stop the war and ceasefire, and in the face of domestic and international protests against the merciless killing of the people of Gaza, it settled for silence and sometimes empty slogans about the need to save the lives of civilians.

But the question that arises is, what is the reason for this American approach? What are the goals of the democratic authorities that rule this country in Gaza and the West Asian region? It seems that the Biden government has identified four goals for its positions on the war in Gaza:

• The clear and unquestioning support of the Zionist regime in order to gain the opinion of influential Jews and the Zionist lobby;
• Preventing the spread of the Gaza war to other countries in the region;
• The release of those arrested and prisoners by Hamas;
• Helping to reduce civilian casualties to preserve the reputation of the United States.

Based on this, it is clear that stopping the war is not among America's goals. The main reason is that America agrees with the goal of the Zionist regime, which is to destroy Hamas, even when the future of relations between Palestine and this regime is not clear. The United States recognizes Hamas as a terrorist organization that, according to them, is one of the forces disrupting regional stability and threatens the economic and security interests of the United States. This militant group also does not recognize the existence of the Zionist regime, and this makes it the main obstacle to a two-state solution. On the other hand, weakening Hamas will weaken Iran's position in the region.

As a result of such an approach, the Biden government, with apparently humanitarian goals, pressures the Zionist regime to accept the cessation of attacks and, to be more precise, adopt targets but does not support a long-term ceasefire. From the point of view of the American authorities, a general ceasefire and a complete cessation of conflicts throughout Gaza is in the interest of Hamas, while only the destruction or at least the weakening and humiliation of Hamas at various levels can provide the interests of the United States.

Of course, the Biden government is facing pressure from its fellow Democrats, Arab officials, and even some American diplomats to help end the attacks and end the killing of defenseless women and children and attacks on civilian areas. For his and his party's success in the 2024 presidential election, Biden needs to attract the opinion of the American domestic public and make heroic gestures in the international arena. Having said that, what are the reasons why America does not pressure the Zionist regime to accept a permanent ceasefire in the war with Hamas? The answer is clear: the rebelliousness of Netanyahu's right-wing government and his disobedience to the requests of the world and even his allies to stop the war!

Based on this, the reality is that the result of years of signing blank cheques (unwavering support) to the Zionist regime and keeping silent against the racist and inhumane policies of this regime and especially the Netanyahu government towards the Palestinian people is that now, even if the White House, for domestic political reasons demands to stop this war, probably the Zionist regime will not comply. Moreover, the current government of this regime has refused to comply with the demands of the US, including the stopping of settlement constructions in the Palestinian territories of the West Bank, even under more normal conditions.

Based on this, the combination of these conditions, i.e., the joint interests of the US and the Zionist regime in the destruction or complete weakening of Hamas, and of course, Netanyahu's government's disobedience to the fruitless end of the war, indicates that the recent ceasefire in Gaza will not last long. However, the occurrence of some developments can change the trend of the war.

- The continuation of scattered attacks by resistance groups in such a way that an all-out regional war does not start but seriously and continuously threatens the security and stability of the Zionist regime, causes social dissatisfaction among the residents of the occupied territories, and increases the expenses of the Zionist regime.

- America's political turn towards the electoral approach and the country's use of its tools to put pressure on the Zionist regime to end the war.

- Changing the practice of the Arab and Islamic world, their withdrawal from the state of multiplicity and passivity, and their joint action to sanction and isolate the Zionist regime in the region if this regime wants to continue the war.

Mohammad Mehdi Mazaheri, university professor

(The opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of the IPIS)