UN Security Council urges Israel to stop West Bank settlement-building
- 7 years ago
After the United States abstained from voting, the U.N. Security Council on Friday passed a resolution urging Israel to stop building settlements on occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem.
The resolution said the establishment of settlements by Israel has “no legal validity and constitutes a flagrant violation under international law.”
It was adopted with 14 votes in favor, to a round of applause.
The resolution was put forward at the 15-member council by New Zealand, Malaysia, Venezuela and Senegal a day after Egypt withdrew it under pressure from Israel and U.S. President-elect Donald Trump.
Israel and Trump had called on the United States to veto the measure.
The U.S. abstention was seen as a parting shot by president Barack Obama, frustrated by failed efforts to broker peace during his tenure.
“This resolution reflects the facts on the ground and is consistent with U.S. policy across Republican and Democratic administrations,” U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Samantha Power said after the vote.
The resolution is the first adopted by the Council on the issue in nearly eight years, and a spokesman for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas called it “a big blow to Israeli policy.”
Israel disputes that settlements in the West Bank are illegal and says their final status should be determined in talks on Palestinian statehood.
“One cannot simultaneously champion expanding Israeli settlements and champion a viable two-state solution that would end the conflict,” said U.S. Ambassador Power.
She added that continuous settlement building “seriously undermines” Israel’s security.
With Reuters
The resolution said the establishment of settlements by Israel has “no legal validity and constitutes a flagrant violation under international law.”
It was adopted with 14 votes in favor, to a round of applause.
The resolution was put forward at the 15-member council by New Zealand, Malaysia, Venezuela and Senegal a day after Egypt withdrew it under pressure from Israel and U.S. President-elect Donald Trump.
Israel and Trump had called on the United States to veto the measure.
The U.S. abstention was seen as a parting shot by president Barack Obama, frustrated by failed efforts to broker peace during his tenure.
“This resolution reflects the facts on the ground and is consistent with U.S. policy across Republican and Democratic administrations,” U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Samantha Power said after the vote.
The resolution is the first adopted by the Council on the issue in nearly eight years, and a spokesman for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas called it “a big blow to Israeli policy.”
Israel disputes that settlements in the West Bank are illegal and says their final status should be determined in talks on Palestinian statehood.
“One cannot simultaneously champion expanding Israeli settlements and champion a viable two-state solution that would end the conflict,” said U.S. Ambassador Power.
She added that continuous settlement building “seriously undermines” Israel’s security.
With Reuters