The United National (UN) Security Council has approved a resolution demanding Israel cease Jewish settlement activity on Palestinian territory in a unanimous vote, which indicates the strong support of the international community for the two-state solution.
This can be considered a diplomatic victory for Palestine in its enduring and long-lasting struggle to establish an independent Palestinian state. However, the move is predicted to spark tensions between Israel and its ally, the United States, as well as other countries, faced by the possibility of Tel Aviv’s moves in retaliation.
Resolution no. 2334, proposed by New Zealand, Malaysia, Senegal and Venezuela, was passed by the UN Security Council, with only the US abstaining. This is the first resolution on Israel and Palestine to be approved by the UN Security Council over the last eight years thanks to an “unusual” decision by the US. Over the past five decades, the US has always held on its commitment to protecting its strategic ally Israel in the Middle East. Washington has used its veto power to refute any anti-Israel resolutions proposed at the UN Security Council. Ahead of the vote, Israel had expressed its hope that Washington would continue pursuing the policy of supporting the Jewish State at the UN, stressing this as a pillar in bilateral relations. Therefore, the US’s “abandoning” of Israel in the vote with a white ballot shocked its ally and was seen as an unacceptable “backstabbing” from the Obama administration. The government of the Jewish State strongly criticised President Barack Obama for betraying the values shared by both sides, and even accused Washington of “pulling strings behind the scene”.
The US’s surprising decision to abstain at the UN Security Council has shown the increasingly tenuous ties between Israel and the Obama administration. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu once criticised Obama’s policies as “too flexible” over Israel’s rivals such as Iran and Syria. Although the US ambassador to the UN affirmed that the white ballot did not mean Washington’s abandonment of strong commitments to safeguarding Israel’s security, Speaker of the US House of Representatives Paul Ryan criticised the Obama administration’s decision for having broken the US’s ties with its strategic ally in the Middle East. Disappointed at the Obama administration, the Israeli government said it was looking forward to cooperating with US President-elect Donald Trump as well as with the US Congress which has provided strong support for Israel in the past. Earlier, Trump had called on the US administration to use its veto powers to prevent the passing of the resolution, while affirming changes to the US’s policies at the US after he takes office. Meanwhile, Israel immediately took reactionary moves against the UN Security Council’s approval of the resolution against the Jewish State. Tel Aviv said it would reassess its relationship with the UN and cut funding worth nearly US$8 million for the five UN bodies. Notably, Israel also summoned its ambassadors to New Zealand and Senegal, while cancelling the Ukrainian PM’s upcoming official visit to Israel in objection to Kiev’s voting for the UN Security Council’s resolution.
The resolution requests Israel to completely and immediately cease settlement activities on the captured Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem, while declaring Israeli settlements illegal under international law. The resolution was issued as the Israeli congress recently passed a draft bill on the legalisation of about 4,000 settlement houses of Jewish people in the West Coast. With roughly 430,000 Israeli settlers currently living in the West Coast and 200,000 other in East Jerusalem, the Jewish State’s maintenance of the policy of expanding settlement areas in these territories has become a significant hindrance pushing peace negotiations with Palestine into deadlocks since 2014.
Palestinian leaders saw the UN Security Council’s passing of the resolution as a big blow on Tel Aviv’s policy and the support of the international community for the two-state solution. This is a warning message urging Tel Aviv to change its anti-Palestinian policies.
It is a legitimate desire of the Palestinians to seize autonomy and establish an independent state. However, this dream of peace will only come true if Israel puts a stop to its blockade and hostile policy against the Palestinian people. With the possible diplomatic and economic retaliation steps Israel has threatened to take, the Middle East peace process is expected to face further challenges.
NDO
