UN Seeks To Target Israeli Settlements, Trump SLAMS
Thomas Coex/AFP/Getty Images
DECEMBER 22, 2016
The Obama administration suggested Thursday that it would refrain from
attempting to block an anti-Israel UN security council resolution calling for
an end to settlement building activities. Throwing out years of pro-Israel
advocacy in the United Nations, the administration’s decision marked a major
break from de facto US policy. According to Reuters, “two Western officials
said that U.S. President Barack Obama had intended to abstain from the vote,
a relatively rare step by the United States to register criticism of the building
on occupied land that the Palestinians want for a state.”
attempting to block an anti-Israel UN security council resolution calling for
an end to settlement building activities. Throwing out years of pro-Israel
advocacy in the United Nations, the administration’s decision marked a major
break from de facto US policy. According to Reuters, “two Western officials
said that U.S. President Barack Obama had intended to abstain from the vote,
a relatively rare step by the United States to register criticism of the building
on occupied land that the Palestinians want for a state.”
The vote on the resolution was scheduled for Thursday afternoon, but
Egypt, the country that initially proposed the draft to the resolution, delayed
the vote until further notice. Early reports indicate that Egyptian President
Abdel Fattah el-Sisi received a call from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu, asking him to obstruct the vote. Western diplomats also told
Reuters that el-Sisi’s decision was partly fueled by a desire not to
prematurely offend President-elect Donald Trump who had vehemently
opposed the resolution.
Egypt, the country that initially proposed the draft to the resolution, delayed
the vote until further notice. Early reports indicate that Egyptian President
Abdel Fattah el-Sisi received a call from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu, asking him to obstruct the vote. Western diplomats also told
Reuters that el-Sisi’s decision was partly fueled by a desire not to
prematurely offend President-elect Donald Trump who had vehemently
opposed the resolution.
The Egyptian president’s office added that Sisi had spoke to Trump directly
about the matter.
about the matter.
"The presidents agreed on the importance of affording the new U.S.
administration the full chance to deal with all dimensions of the Palestinian
case with a view of achieving a full and final settlement," stated presidency
spokesman Alaa Yousef.
administration the full chance to deal with all dimensions of the Palestinian
case with a view of achieving a full and final settlement," stated presidency
spokesman Alaa Yousef.
The Trump transition team has signaled a sharp break from the hostile
Israel policies of the Obama administration.
Israel policies of the Obama administration.
Over his nearly eight years in office, Obama has demonized Israel’s settlement
building activities in the West Bank, suggesting that Jewish State’s supposedly
belligerent behavior is a major impediment to the so-called peace process.
Downplaying the terrorism of Palestinian jihadists, the White House once
even insisted all future negotiations between the Palestinians and Israelis
should be based on pre-1967 borders, a provocation that angered Prime
Minister Netanyahu and his cabinet.
building activities in the West Bank, suggesting that Jewish State’s supposedly
belligerent behavior is a major impediment to the so-called peace process.
Downplaying the terrorism of Palestinian jihadists, the White House once
even insisted all future negotiations between the Palestinians and Israelis
should be based on pre-1967 borders, a provocation that angered Prime
Minister Netanyahu and his cabinet.
But President-elect Trump’s choice of David Friedman as the next US
ambassador to Israel has pushed all the right buttons in the anti-Israel
Left. An ardent defender of settlements and pro-Israel hawk, Friedman
has already said that he has plans to take the US embassy in Tel Aviv to
its rightful place in the Jewish people’s eternal capital of Jerusalem.
ambassador to Israel has pushed all the right buttons in the anti-Israel
Left. An ardent defender of settlements and pro-Israel hawk, Friedman
has already said that he has plans to take the US embassy in Tel Aviv to
its rightful place in the Jewish people’s eternal capital of Jerusalem.
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