UNITED NATIONS (AFP) – The UN Security Council on Friday demanded that Israel halt settlements in Palestinian territory, after the United States refrained from vetoing a resolution condemning its closest Middle East ally.
In a rare and momentous step, the United States instead abstained, enabling the adoption of the first UN resolution since 1979 to condemn Israel over its settlement policy.
Applause broke out in the chamber after the text was passed with support from all remaining members of the 15-member council.
The landmark move by the Security Council came despite an effort led by Israel and backed by US President-elect Donald Trump to block the text.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu immediately rejected the UN resolution and slammed the outgoing administration of President Barack Obama for refusing to veto it.
In this photo provided by the United Nations, members of the United Nations Security council vote at the United Nations headquarters on Friday, December 23, in favour of condemning Israel for its practice of establishing settlements in the West Bank and east Jerusalem. – AP
“Israel rejects this shameful anti-Israel resolution at the UN and will not abide by its terms,” a statement from Netanyahu’s office said.
“The Obama administration not only failed to protect Israel against this gang-up at the UN, it colluded with it behind the scenes,” it said.
“Israel looks forward to working with President-elect Trump and with all our friends in Congress, Republicans and Democrats alike, to negate the harmful effects of this absurd resolution.”
Trump reacted after the vote by promising change at the world body after he takes office next month.
“As to the UN, things will be different after January 20,” he tweeted.
Ambassador Samantha Power said the US abstention stemmed from concerns that the expansion of the Jewish outposts was threatening the two-state solution aimed at achieving peace by creating a Palestinian state alongside Israel.
“We cannot stand in the way of this resolution as we seek to preserve a chance of attaining our longstanding objective of two states living side by side in peace and security,” she said.
“The settlement problem has gotten so much worse that it is now putting at risk the very viability of that two-state solution.”
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon welcomed the passage of the resolution as “a significant step, demonstrating the council’s much needed leadership and the international community’s collective efforts to reconfirm that the vision of two states is still achievable”.
Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas’s office said the vote was “a big blow” to Israeli policy and a show of “strong support for the two-state solution”.
Israeli settlements are seen as a major stumbling block to peace efforts, as they are built on land the Palestinians consider part of their future state.
The United Nations maintains that settlements are illegal, but UN officials have reported a surge in construction over the past months.
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