U.S. Allows U.N. to Censure Israel Obama administration, breaking tradition, clears way for measure; Donald Trump miffed at stance By Farnaz Fassihi and Carol E. Lee
http://www.wsj.com/articles/israeli-settlement-censure-back-on-u-n-calendar-1482515573
UNITED NATIONS—The Obama administration broke from a longstanding tradition of U.S. defense of Israel at the U.N. and allowed the passage of a resolution harshly criticizing the country’s expansion of Jewish settlements in the Palestinian territories.
It was the first time in 36 years the Security Council was able to adopt a resolution addressing the issue of Israeli settlement construction, an outcome made possible by the abstention of the U.S., which had veto power.
Throughout his tenure, President Barack Obama had warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu against expanding Israeli settlements in disputed lands, saying such construction poses an obstacle to peace in the Middle East. And throughout that time, he was rebuffed.
The measure on Friday was approved with 14 members voting in favor and the U.S. abstaining. That abstention, years in the making, marked what could be Mr. Obama’s final jab at an Israeli leader with whom he repeatedly clashed.
The vote followed days of extraordinary international political drama as Israel directly lobbied President-elect Donald Trump to intervene against the adoption of the resolution.
Mr. Trump and his transition team on Thursday held talks with Egyptian President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi and Israeli officials. Egyptian officials originally drafted the resolution, but after the conversation between Messrs. Trump and Sisi, Egypt pulled the resolution from consideration a few hours before it was scheduled for a vote.
The move infuriated U.S. and European diplomats who saw the decision as the result of interference by Mr. Trump.
After Egypt’s withdrawal, Friday’s resolution was co-sponsored by New Zealand, Malaysia, Venezuela and Senegal. Following the vote, Mr. Netanyahu recalled his ambassadors to New Zealand and Senegal.
Mr. Obama communicated his final decision on how to vote to National Security Adviser Susan Rice on Friday once the specifics of the resolution were clear, according to Ben Rhodes, a deputy national security adviser.
Ambassador Samantha Power told the Security Council that the resolution reflected long-running complaints in Washington about Israeli settlement construction and was in accord with objectives to remove obstacles to a two-state solution allowing for Israeli and Palestinian homelands.
“Our vote today is fully in line with the bipartisan history of how American presidents have approached both the issue and the role of this body,” she said.
Mr. Netanyahu, who worked feverishly Thursday and Friday to avert passage of the resolution, blamed the U.S. for its approval. A statement by his office said that the Obama administration “colluded….behind the scenes” with Israel’s adversaries.
The administration rejected the charge. “I’d take umbrage at language that suggests that this was our preferred course of action and that we initiated it,” Mr. Rhodes said, adding that statements coming out of the Israeli government about U.S. involvement were “full of inaccuracies and falsehoods.”
The passage of the measure puts the matter in the hands of the international U.N. community just weeks before the inauguration of Mr. Trump, who has defended Israel against criticism for the settlement expansion and opposed the resolution in a Twitter post.
The resolution says that Israel’s settlements in the Palestinian territories are illegal and demands that Israel cease expansion. It also calls on the U.N. secretary-general to update the Security Council every three months on how the resolution is being implemented and whether Israel is complying.
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