UN Security Council backs draft resolution opposing Israel settlements – National
The U.N. Security Council unanimously accepted a watered-down assertion strongly opposing Israel’s continued development and enlargement of settlements Monday. The vote got here after excessive-stakes negotiations by the Biden administration succeeded in derailing a legally binding resolution that will have demanded a halt to Israeli settlement exercise.
The Palestinian-backed draft resolution was the topic of frantic talks by senior Biden administration officers together with Secretary of States Antony Blinken with Palestinian, Israeli and United Arab Emirates leaders. These discussions culminated in a deal Sunday to forego it in favor of a weaker presidential assertion that’s not legally binding, based on a number of diplomats conversant in the scenario.
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The deal averted a possible diplomatic disaster, with the U.S. virtually actually vetoing the resolution, which might have angered Palestinian supporters at a time when the U.S. and its Western allies are attempting to realize worldwide assist towards Russia for its battle with Ukraine. The battle marked its one-yr anniversary of President Vladimir Putin’s invasion this week.
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To keep away from a vote on the draft resolution, the diplomats stated the U.S. managed to persuade each Israel and the Palestinians to agree in precept to a six-month freeze in any unilateral motion they could take.
On the Israeli aspect, that will imply a dedication to not increasing settlements till not less than August, based on the diplomats. On Monday, the workplace of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated Israel wouldn’t greenlight any new wildcat settlements within the West Financial institution past 9 outposts that it accepted retroactively earlier this month.
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On the Palestinian aspect, the diplomats stated it will imply a dedication till August to not pursue motion towards Israel on the U.N. and different worldwide our bodies such because the World Court docket, the Worldwide Legal Court docket and the U.N. Human Rights Council.
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The Palestinian push for a resolution got here as Israel’s new proper-wing authorities has reaffirmed its dedication to assemble new settlements within the West Financial institution and increase its authority on land the Palestinians search for a future state.
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Israel captured the West Financial institution, together with east Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip, within the 1967 Mideast battle. The United Nations and many of the worldwide group contemplate Israeli settlements unlawful and an impediment to ending the a long time-previous Israeli-Palestinian battle. Some 700,000 Israeli settlers dwell within the West Financial institution and Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem.
The presidential assertion doesn’t condemn Israeli settlement exercise or demand a halt. It does condemn “all acts of violence towards civilians, together with acts of terrorism.”
On settlements, the Security Council “strongly opposes all unilateral measures that impede peace together with ? Israeli development and enlargement of settlements, confiscation of Palestinians’ land, and the `legalization’ of settlement outposts, demolition of Palestinians’ properties and displacement of Palestinian civilians.”
The council additionally expressed “deep concern and dismay with Israel’s announcement on Feb. 12, 2023, saying additional development and enlargement of settlements and the `legalization’ of settlement outposts.”
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Riyad Mansour, the Palestinian U.N. ambassador, instructed reporters: “The truth that we now have a united entrance ? is a step in the appropriate course.”
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UAE Ambassador Lana Nusseibeh, the council’s Arab consultant who sponsored the resolution, counseled the U.S. position and stated the assertion is “the primary output from the Security Council in six years on the scenario in Palestine.”
“I believe it has a powerful unified sign from the council that they need to see de-escalation, dialogue and deal with political parameters to (finish) a longstanding battle,” she stated.
In December 2016, the Security Council demanded that Israel “instantly and utterly stop all settlement actions within the occupied Palestinian territory, together with East Jerusalem.” It careworn that halting settlement actions “is important for salvaging the 2-state answer.”
That resolution was adopted after President Barack Obama’s administration abstained within the vote, a reversal of america’ longstanding observe of defending its shut ally Israel from motion on the United Nations, together with by vetoing Arab-supported resolutions.
Related Press author Matthew Lee contributed to this report from Washington.
© 2023 The Canadian Press
