Israel to re-assess United Nations ties after settlement resolution, says Netanyahu

Israel has said it rejects the UN Security Council’s “shameful anti-Israeli” resolution demanding an end to settlement building in occupied Palestinian territory.

Samantha Power, the US ambassador to the United Nations, defended the move to abstain, saying “one can not champion” settlements and a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict at the same time.

Former Palestinian peace negotiator Saeb Erekat called the vote “a clear and unanimous message” to Netanyahu that his policies will not lead to peace or security either in Israel or elsewhere in the region.

The Palestinians want an independent state in the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem, areas that Israel captured in a 1967 war. The vote on the resolution against Israel’s settlements in the West Bank was postponed yesterday at Israel’s request.

The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on Friday night passed a resolution condemning Israeli settlements on Palestinian land.

The Palestinians, meanwhile, welcomed the resolution.

The US had, for tactical reasons, previously made a decision to veto such resolutions like in 2011, said Mr Mekelberg.

A resolution moved by Egypt was to come up for vote on Thursday, but was postponed because of Trump’s personal intervention – he spoke to the Egyptian president Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Trump has spoken out in support of Israeli settlements before.

According to an Israeli official, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to discuss the matter, Netanyahu also cancelled a meeting with British Prime Minister Theresa May, reported AP.

Egypt is understood to have delayed the vote following the input of Trump, in order to convene with other Arab League member states on the possible re-wording of the resolution.

Trump and Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu have both called for the resolution to be vetoed. “This is an anti-Israeli resolution spearheaded by the Palestinians, the entire goal of which is to hurt Israel”, he said.

The analyst also referred to the global Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, which is a civil society movement not a governmental approach that has had enormous success particularly in Europe, where there are efforts to prohibit Israeli products from being sold in the European Union.

Netanyahu added that he looks forward to working with the new administration when it takes office next month. An Israeli official pointed fingers at the U.S. saying “Obama and Kerry are behind this embarrassing action at the United Nations”. The Jewish Quarter is not occupied.