UNITED NATIONS: The United States on Friday allowed the U.N. Security Council to adopt a resolution demanding an end to Israeli settlements, defying pressure from President-elect Donald Trump, Israel and some U.S. lawmakers who urged Washington to wield its veto.
The resolution, put forward by Malaysia, New Zealand, Venezuela and Senegal a day after Egypt withdrew it under pressure from Israel and Trump, was the first adopted by the council on Israel and the Palestinians in nearly eight years.
An abstention by the United States paved the way for the 15-member international body to approve the resolution, with 14 votes in favour, prompting applause in the council chamber.
"Israel rejects this shameful anti-Israel resolution at the U.N. and will not abide by its terms," the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has encouraged the expansion of Jewish settlements in land captured by Israel in a 1967 war with its Arab neighbours, said in a statement.
The Obama administration's action broke with the long-standing American approach of shielding Israel, Washington's long-time ally that receives more than $3 billion in annual U.S. military aid, from such action. The United States, along with Russia, France, Britain and China, has veto power on the council.
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon welcomed the resolution and Russian U.N. Ambassador Vitaly Churkin called on Israel to "respect international law."
The resolution, put forward by Malaysia, New Zealand, Venezuela and Senegal a day after Egypt withdrew it under pressure from Israel and Trump, was the first adopted by the council on Israel and the Palestinians in nearly eight years.
An abstention by the United States paved the way for the 15-member international body to approve the resolution, with 14 votes in favour, prompting applause in the council chamber.
"Israel rejects this shameful anti-Israel resolution at the U.N. and will not abide by its terms," the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has encouraged the expansion of Jewish settlements in land captured by Israel in a 1967 war with its Arab neighbours, said in a statement.
The Obama administration's action broke with the long-standing American approach of shielding Israel, Washington's long-time ally that receives more than $3 billion in annual U.S. military aid, from such action. The United States, along with Russia, France, Britain and China, has veto power on the council.
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon welcomed the resolution and Russian U.N. Ambassador Vitaly Churkin called on Israel to "respect international law."
Though nothing will change on the ground where Israeli settlers will continue to rob Palestinian land and build Israeli settlements on those land, it's a symbolic indication that (other than Trump's USA, effective late January 2017) the world is pissed off with Israeli being blatant land robbers.
Indeed, with NZ, Malaysia, Venezuela and Senegal proposing the resolution, it shows the resolution came from 4 continents.
And Netanyahu has the brazen arrogance to call the UNSC resolution against Israeli land stealing as shameful and anti-Israel.
How can a resolution against stealing Palestinian land be shameful? Rather than being anti Israel the UNSC has been pro justice.
But with Trump as President of the USA, Israel will continue to persecute the Palestinians until none of the latter live there as freemen unless they serve as servants to the Israeli overlords.
How can the rest of the world stop Israeli aggression and robbing of Palestinian land a la the Nazi Lebensraum?
I am not advocating the elimination of Israel, neo Nazi as it is, but for it to abide by UNSC Resolution 242, to withdraw to the 1967 borders, with some practical readjustment made by the UNSC for its security, and also for Israel to relinquish Jerusalem to the UN to administer because of that location's difficult-to-solve politics and its international religious significance.
I am not advocating the elimination of Israel, neo Nazi as it is, but for it to abide by UNSC Resolution 242, to withdraw to the 1967 borders, with some practical readjustment made by the UNSC for its security, and also for Israel to relinquish Jerusalem to the UN to administer because of that location's difficult-to-solve politics and its international religious significance.
But with pussy-grabbing Trump supporting Israel, we have to wait until another Obama comes along. In the meanwhile we must continue BDS (boycott, divest and sanction Israel).
What difference does it make? President Trump is going to undo that when he takes office. Moreover, a USD38.0 billion in aid to Israel over 10 years period was already approved. Trump and Obama (singing) - Kita serupa. Just wait for after January 20. More Palestinians would be slaughtered until they and their land existed no more. A US of A gift to Israel. Wakakaka..
ReplyDeleteTrump can't change a passed UNSC resolution which condemns Israel for building settlements on West Bank (Palestinian land) but as I mentioned, the UNSC resolution is merely symbolic but nonetheless a step forward to the European BDS against Israel.
DeleteThere is no denying more Palestinians will be killed by Israelis when Sunni Muslims (Daesh sponsored by Saudi Arabia) are busy killing Shia Muslims (Iranians, Syrians, Southern Lebanese, etc), and Egypt is sucking up to the USA.
I am not a Closed-Minded Idealogue when it comes to Israel and the Arabs.
ReplyDeleteI support Israel's right to self-defence to eliminate the source of deadly force directed against it from outside its borders, such from Gaza. That is a right enshrined in international law.
I will say the Israeli Settlements build on land on the West Bank heavily complicates any possible peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians, and that should not continue.
The timing of the vote, however, exposes the moral bankruptcy of the Muslim world and the Socialist Left in the West.
A great tragedy was occurring at the very same time as the UN Security Council vote, in Allepo. Hundreds of thousands of Civilians have been killed in the Syrian conflict, especially at the hands of the Syrian military and the Russian air bombardment.
BUT, there is a deafening silence from the Muslim World, Deafening Silence from the Socialist Left in the West.
No Protests in front of the Russian Embassy, no condemnation of Syria. Nobody has Photoshopped Nazi Swastikas on to the Russian Flag or Syrian Flag.
SILENCE.
Shame on You Ktemorph.