U.S. votes against UN resolution on Israel settlements

[News_Editor]

U.S. votes against UN resolution on Israel settlements

2011-02-19 05:37:34 GMT+7 (ICT)

UNITED NATIONS (BNO NEWS) -- The United States on Friday voted agaisnt the United Nations Security Council resolution to condemn Israeli settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

According to the Haaretz newspaper, the resolution had nearly 120 co-sponsors, exclusively Arab and other non-aligned nations. The U.S. used its power to veto any action by the Security Council despite that the other 14 Security Council members voted in favor.

The U.S. position on the draft resolution was announced by the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice. The U.S. has the power to block draft resolutions due to being one of the five permanent council members.

Prior to the Security Council vote, Palestinian permanent observer to the UN, Ambassador Riyad Mansour, voiced his hope that the United States would not obstruct the draft resolution.

In addition, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas rejected a compromise offered by the United States in exchange for the withdrawal of the draft resolution. The decision was made unanimously during a meeting between the Palestine Liberation Organization and Abbas's Fatah movement.

On Thursday, State Secretary Hillary Clinton said that the U.S. opposes new Israeli settlements but the UN Security Council resolutions are not the right vehicle for advancing negotiation between Israel and Palestine.

Clinton added that the Obama Administration was working with their allies in the region and partners in the Security Council to find a "consensus way forward that is consistent with the U.S. overall approach."

Philip Crowley, Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs, confirmed on Friday that Secretary Clinton met with a wide range of leaders in recent days, including the Qatari prime minister and the head of the Arab League, Amr Moussa.

In addition, President Barack Obama had a number of conversations with Palestinian officials, including with President Abbas, but Crawley said that the White House will keep those diplomatic exchanges private.

"Our goal is absolutely the same as it always has been – two states living side by side, the Palestinians having a state of their own to realize the aspirations of the Palestinian people, Israel with secure borders and normalized relations with all of their neighbors," said Secretary Clinton.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2011-02-19

[coma]

Shame on you USA Government. And once again I find that the UN has failed. And it will continue to fail while it continues to allowing a minority to veto the majority. You are a joke.

[Ulysses G.]

The U.S. has the power to block daft resolutions due to being one of the five permanent council members.

[chuckd]

Shame on you USA Government. And once again I find that the UN has failed. And it will continue to fail while it continues to allowing a minority to veto the majority. You are a joke.

The UN has been a failure for the past 30 years. This veto had nothing to do with that.

Good for the US in vetoing a highly partisan resolution.

[Orac]

"According to the Haaretz newspaper, the resolution had nearly 120 co-sponsors, exclusively Arab and other non-aligned nations."

What exactly is a non-aligned nation? Apparently the list of co-sponsors included the likes of UK, Russia and China, the ambassadors of which were among those who rose to speak in favor of the failed resolution after the vote.

[orangezeke]

these illegal settlements must stop. the obama administration should have used this opportunity to make a statement; stand with the rest of the world. instead the u.s. does what it has always done vetoing a resolution while calling for more negotiations. meanwhile the israelis continue in their colonisation efforts safe in the knowledge the u.s. has their back.

you would think after 30 years on this merry-go-round, the u.s. would acknowledge their failed efforts. but that is the whole point, it is done to maintain status quo. israel expands its borders, palestinians are starved into submission. put on a diet, shackled in their movements and humiliated in front of the u.n.

[orangezeke]

Shame on you USA Government. And once again I find that the UN has failed. And it will continue to fail while it continues to allowing a minority to veto the majority. You are a joke.

The UN has been a failure for the past 30 years. This veto had nothing to do with that.

Good for the US in vetoing a highly partisan resolution.

of course it was partisan...the resolution was set up to condemn israels unilateral movements. how could it have been made bipartisan ? what would a bipartisan resolution have achieved ?

[Ulysses G.]

these illegal settlements must stop.

Maybe if the illegal rockets stopped pouring in from Gaza, the Israelis might be more inclined to give up more land for peace.

[bulmercke]

these illegal settlements must stop.

Maybe if the illegal rockets stopped pouring in from Gaza, the Israelis might be more inclined to give up more land for peace.

QUOTE:"...pouring in from Gaza." Not sure about that. A little over the top. The occasional one or two maybe. Anyway the US government's veto was an inexcusable and shameful act. But then again with their overseas - Middle East - foreign policy being so influenced - dictated - by Israel should we expect any different.

Edited February 20, 2011 by bulmercke

[softgeorge]

Anything to prevent peace in the region and keep the arms sales flowing.

[Jingthing]

I think the settlements are illegal but what would passing a UN resolution accomplish? Would it make Israel stop the settlements? No. Would it increase the chances of meaningful peace negotiations? No. Would it add fuel to the fire of the already successful global movement to demonize Israel? Yes. So it was all PR anyway, just politics. As far as Israel "dictating" US foreign policy, well, that is simply and obviously false. You should have stopped at the credible description -- influence. Also, there is a political price that any president would pay for going with any decision perceived to be anti-Israel as a significant majority of Americans do identify as pro-Israeli.

Edited February 20, 2011 by Jingthing

[koheesti]

With all that is going on in the Middle East the past few weeks THIS is what the UN focuses its attention on?

[Ulysses G.]

these illegal settlements must stop.

Maybe if the illegal rockets stopped pouring in from Gaza, the Israelis might be more inclined to give up more land for peace.

QUOTE:"...pouring in from Gaza." Not sure about that. A little over the top.

Whose leg are you trying to pull?

The year 2008 saw a dramatic increase in the extent of HAMAS rocket fire and mortar attacks on Israel, with a total of 3,278 rockets and mortar shells landingin Israeli territory (1,750 rockets and 1,528 mortar shells).

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/para/hamas-qassam.htm

[Orac]

The year 2008 saw a dramatic increase in the extent of HAMAS rocket fire and mortar attacks on Israel, with a total of 3,278 rockets and mortar shells landingin Israeli territory (1,750 rockets and 1,528 mortar shells).

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/para/hamas-qassam.htm

interesting that you have gone back to 2008 for your figures rather than the 2010 figures that are available:

According to the Israel Security Agency's annual report, Palestinians carried out 150 rocket launches and 215 mortar launches at Israel during the year.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Palestinian_rocket_attacks_on_Israel,_2010

[powderpuff]

these illegal settlements must stop. the obama administration should have used this opportunity to make a statement; stand with the rest of the world. instead the u.s. does what it has always done vetoing a resolution while calling for more negotiations. meanwhile the israelis continue in their colonisation efforts safe in the knowledge the u.s. has their back.

you would think after 30 years on this merry-go-round, the u.s. would acknowledge their failed efforts. but that is the whole point, it is done to maintain status quo. israel expands its borders, palestinians are starved into submission. put on a diet, shackled in their movements and humiliated in front of the u.n.

Hold up slick. West bank? OK - East Jeruselum? No Way.

Obama has dome something right in his 2 plus years of mayhem.

[Jingthing]

Sounds like the blockade to prevent weapons materials from getting into Gaza is working fairly well then, yes? The Gazans should rebel against their very own authoritarian, terrorist government before even worrying about Israel. Of course the UN resolution is about west bank settlements, but when the issue of rockets is introduced, we are now talking also about Gaza.

Edited February 20, 2011 by Jingthing

[Wallaby]

Noticeable how when the US vetos something it is a 'daft' resolution anyway. When another country vetos a resolution then it is THAT country that is labelled daft.

Maybe the Us should fall in line with the majority of the the rest of the world instead of thinking of only itself. If it doesn't like it and thinks the UN is useless anyway then get out of it so that other members can do something constructive.

[Jingthing]

What would have been so constructive about passing a resolution that couldn't possibly be enforced by the UN?

[Wallaby]

What would have been so constructive about passing a resolution that couldn't possibly be enforced by the UN?

If that is what you think then what would be the point in vetoing it?

[Jingthing]

What would have been so constructive about passing a resolution that couldn't possibly be enforced by the UN?

If that is what you think then what would be the point in vetoing it?

That further demonization of Israel is not going to help bring forward what does need to happen to really make a difference, good faith negotiations between the sides. The only thing the resolution was good for was to shame Israel. If you argue that WOULD help to move towards real peace, OK, but there is a good argument it only makes things worse.

[Wallaby]

Well that's one way to look at it. Lets not worry about the palestinians then. Let them starve etc etc, as long as Israel isn't demonised.

Doesn't seem the like the rest of the world think the way you do.

[Jingthing]

Palestinians aren't starving to death. Also if you research the situation in Gaza, you will soon find that much of the food deprivation that does occur is directly caused by their own HAMAS government which is very, very corrupt and very, very authoritarian towards their own people. Nobody in their right mind thinks the situation in Israel and Palestine is a healthy one. The question is what can be done to improve it, that will work, with a minimum number of casualties. If you know, contact your national leader!

Israel has already been demonized internationally and Israelis know it. That goal has been accomplished. Now what?

Edited February 20, 2011 by Jingthing

[Wallaby]

Palestinians aren't starving to death. Also if you research the situation in Gaza, you will soon find that much of the food deprivation that does occur is directly caused by their own HAMAS government which is very, very corrupt and very, very authoritarian towards their own people. Nobody in their right mind thinks the situation in Israel and Palestine is a healthy one. The question is what can be done to improve it, that will work, with a minimum number of casualties. If you know, contact your national leader!

Perhaps instead of believing your nonsense you may want to listent to the rest of the world.

[Ulysses G.]

interesting that you have gone back to 2008 for your figures rather than the 2010 figures that are available:

That is why the attack and blockade of Gaza became necessary and the blockade is obviously cutting down on these rockets, but a rocket attack every two days is hardly "over the top".

[Jingthing]

Perhaps instead of believing your nonsense you may want to listent to the rest of the world.

I have no idea what you are talking about now. I agree the west bank settlements are illegal and that Israel has to make major concessions for peace. I even think there is a strong argument that important factions in Israel don't want peace and don't want a two state solution (though other factions there do). On the other side, strong Palestinian factions don't want peace either, they want total "liberation" of all the land Israel now holds and the total end of Israel. I just don't see how that UN resolution would have helped bring peace and justice.

BTW, FYI, a quick google will help you discover that even Palestinians in Gaza openly admit the people are NOT starving there. No I am not saying that everyone there is getting everything they want to eat all the time; rather I am saying that people aren't dying from hunger.

Edited February 20, 2011 by Jingthing

[Wallaby]

Perhaps instead of believing your nonsense you may want to listent to the rest of the world.

I have no idea what you are talking about now. I agree the west bank settlements are illegal and that Israel has to make major concessions for peace. I even think there is a strong argument that important factions in Israel don't want peace and don't want a two state solution (though other factions there do). On the other side, strong Palestinian factions don't want peace either, they want total "liberation" of all the land Israel now holds and the total end of Israel. I just don't see how that UN resolution would have helped bring peace and justice.

BTW, FYI, a quick google will help you discover that even Palestinians in Gaza openly admit the people are NOT starving there.

I am glad you made that post. At least you are not a person that has their head in the sand and thinks that everything Israel does is good. I agree, the palestinians should pull their heads in too, they aren't saints in all this.. It does take 2 to get things done.

[orangezeke]

Perhaps instead of believing your nonsense you may want to listent to the rest of the world.

I have no idea what you are talking about now. I agree the west bank settlements are illegal and that Israel has to make major concessions for peace. I even think there is a strong argument that important factions in Israel don't want peace and don't want a two state solution (though other factions there do). On the other side, strong Palestinian factions don't want peace either, they want total "liberation" of all the land Israel now holds and the total end of Israel. I just don't see how that UN resolution would have helped bring peace and justice.

BTW, FYI, a quick google will help you discover that even Palestinians in Gaza openly admit the people are NOT starving there. No I am not saying that everyone there is getting everything they want to eat all the time; rather I am saying that people aren't dying from hunger.

"Israel's policy was summed up by Dov Weisglass, an adviser to Ehud Olmert, the Israeli Prime Minister, earlier this year. 'The idea is to put the Palestinians on a diet, but not to make them die of hunger,' he said. The hunger pangs are supposed to encourage the Palestinians to force Hamas to change its attitude towards Israel or force Hamas out of government."

http://www.guardian....6/apr/16/israel

so no, they are not starving, they are just made to go hungry...you know...as a sort of incentive. 'you can have a democracy, just make sure you vote the way we tell you to'.

Edited February 20, 2011 by orangezeke

[orangezeke]

these illegal settlements must stop. the obama administration should have used this opportunity to make a statement; stand with the rest of the world. instead the u.s. does what it has always done vetoing a resolution while calling for more negotiations. meanwhile the israelis continue in their colonisation efforts safe in the knowledge the u.s. has their back.

you would think after 30 years on this merry-go-round, the u.s. would acknowledge their failed efforts. but that is the whole point, it is done to maintain status quo. israel expands its borders, palestinians are starved into submission. put on a diet, shackled in their movements and humiliated in front of the u.n.

Hold up slick. West bank? OK - East Jeruselum? No Way.

Obama has dome something right in his 2 plus years of mayhem.

dude, what is the point of your post ? did you have one ?

[Jingthing]

orangezeke, your link was from 2006. Five years old now. Hamas has been in power for some time now in Gaza.

[Ulysses G.]

so no, they are not starving, they are just made to go hungry

Oh yeah?

Edited February 20, 2011 by Ulysses G.