The United Nations Security Council on Monday unanimouslya formal statement expressing opposition to Israel's ongoing expansion of illegal settlements on Occupied Palestinian Territory, the first time in more than six years the United States has permitted the body to rebuke its close ally.
the United Arab Emirates to abandon its plan to call for a vote on a stronger, legally binding resolution that the U.S. almost certainly would have vetoed.Monday:"The Palestinian-backed draft resolution was the subject of frantic talks by senior Biden administration officials including Secretary of State Antony Blinken with Palestinian, Israeli, and United Arab Emirates leaders.
nine illegal settlements built without government approval in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem—and its plans to erect even more.The presidential statement does not condemn Israeli settlement activity or demand a halt. It does condemn"all acts of violence against civilians, including acts of terrorism."
In contrast to the agreed-upon presidential statement, the tabled draft resolution"would have demanded Israel 'immediately and completely cease all settlement activities in the Occupied Palestinian Territory,'"To be adopted, Security Council resolutions must receive nine votes in favor and no vetoes from the body's five permanent members: Britain, China, France, Russia, and the United States.
loucharbon hrw While an infuriated Netanyahu asserted that 'the declaration didn't need to be said and the United States didn't need to join it'—an opinion shared by right-wing U.S. lawmakers including House Speaker SpeakerMcCarthy (R) McCarthyResign