UN demands end to Israeli settlements after US abstention
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UNITED NATIONS: The United Nations Security Council has unanimously adopted a resolution demanding an end to Israeli settlements on occupied Palestinian lands, with the United States abstaining.
Diplomats at the world body were in awe as the Obama administration allowed the Security Council to adopt the resolution by abstaining. The vote was 14-0.
The resolution was adopted to a round of applause.
It is the first resolution the Security Council has adopted on Israel and the Palestinians in nearly eight years.
The vote was 14-0.
The decision not to veto broke an American tradition of serving as Israel’s diplomatic shield, and defied pressure by President-elect Donald J. Trump and Israel, the New York Times wrote.
The resolution was put forward at the 15-member council for a vote on Friday by New Zealand, Malaysia, Venezuela and Senegal, a day after Egypt withdrew it under pressure from Israel and Mr Trump. Israel and Mr Trump had called on the US to veto the measure.
The US abstention was seen as a parting shot by President Barack Obama who has had an acrimonious relationship with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and who has made the settlements a major target of peace efforts that have proven ultimately futile.
The resolution demanded that Israel “immediately and completely cease all settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem” and said the establishment of settlements by Israel had “no legal validity and constitutes a flagrant violation under international law”.
A resolution needs nine votes in favour and no vetoes by the US, France, Russia, Britain or China to be adopted.
The Palestinians want an independent state in the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem, areas Israel captured in a 1967 war.
Israel says the final status of the settlements should be determined in talks on Palestinian statehood.
Published in Dawn December 24th, 2016
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Comments (55) Closed
Dec 24, 2016 08:05am
President Obama is a wise person. He voted against the Iraq war as well. I am sure that he understands that in order for the world to be a bit more peaceful place the United Nations should become a trustworthy body with some teeth.
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Dec 24, 2016 08:16am
Good. Now it is time to pass a resolution on Kashmir. Or at least implementing the already passed resolution. Go india go back.
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Dec 24, 2016 08:41am
I am glad that the Obama Administration did not veto the bill.
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Dec 24, 2016 08:39am
Thank you Obama, the deserving Nobel Peace Prize winner. The collective conscience of the world will remember you for a long time.
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Dec 24, 2016 08:44am
@AXH It doesn't mean they approved it fyi
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Dec 24, 2016 08:45am
Next it's turn of kashmir and same will be vote 14-0 asking both india and Pakistan to vacate kashmir and hand over to UNMOGIP and let UN hold plebiscite. Then kashmiris will decide and peace will prevail.
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Dec 24, 2016 08:48am
Finally, US has acted justly. Otherwise, the world will move towards China as the leader and super power of the world.
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Dec 24, 2016 08:51am
I love Obama. First he defied Saudis by signing deal with Iran and now defied Israel.
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Dec 24, 2016 09:05am
The United Nations cannot make Israel do anything. In a sense the United Nations created Israel, but the Israelis don't care. Netanyahu owes the UN nothing in his opinion. He is following the Ariel Sharon strategy of increasing settlements and occupying more Jerusalem real estate. The Israelis are going to do what they want to do even if there is no two state solution and increasing violence. He is not the right leader for Israel at this time.
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Dec 24, 2016 09:30am
Trump after UN vote: 'Things will be different after Jan. 20'
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Dec 24, 2016 10:15am
So now its 4-0 , but they need atleast 9-0 to defeat Isreal.
9-0 with any veto from 5 permanant members.
Question is
So who can the other 5 countries to make 9-0 ?
Can Pakistan not vote?
This is definately not going to happen because US, France and probably China will veto
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Dec 24, 2016 10:25am
@asif
Because he knows Trump will revert back the veto.
Obama is just trying to get good will of most countries before he leaves WhiteHouse.
US has a huge Isreal lobby
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Dec 24, 2016 10:29am
Diplomatically Obama is wrong in going against the policy of Trump. Trying his best to be seen as the good guy Obama has messed up everything.
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Dec 24, 2016 10:39am
Terrorism is the pure evil in this world.
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Dec 24, 2016 10:44am
Period from November elections to January inaugration of new President is a transition period for current president who will be virtually doing a caretaker job and hence Obama should desist from doing any major policy changes. It is not very difficult for Trump to reverse these changes in policy after Jan 20 !
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Dec 24, 2016 11:13am
Thank you Mr. Obama, you did justice to Palestinian people.
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Dec 24, 2016 11:17am
Obama has realized that Israelis have forged very strong relationship with republicans; with a very large number of democrats supporting Bernie Sanders vision of America (no free ride) for Israelis; Obama has to side with what the majority of democrats wants. With Ttump being president; Arabs have to put their differences on the side with Iranians and start looking to build strong relationships with China and Russia, and of course India.
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Dec 24, 2016 11:21am
Why problems of elsewhere and everywhere should concern Pakistanis?...
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Dec 24, 2016 11:30am
@desikan This is UN Security Council resolution and not US domestic politics that things will be reversed by next president, unless there is a second UN resolution passed to counter it which is highly unlikely
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Dec 24, 2016 11:29am
Its just a diplomatic move nothing more.
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Dec 24, 2016 11:36am
Hopefully it will be enforced in letter &spirit and not left dormant like the Kashmir resolution.
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Dec 24, 2016 11:47am
great news after a long time, peace is contingent with fairness in dealing with weak or strong parties.
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Dec 24, 2016 12:00pm
Good news, good to the Palestinan peoples who suffering lot for the several decades
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Dec 24, 2016 12:02pm
will just be another resolution, as Neytanyahu says
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Dec 24, 2016 12:09pm
Now this parting shot seems to be of no avail, Since Trump is coming to reverse all what obama wished to do. Secondly Obama should have taken measures in the midst of his power to settle paletinian issue. Most US presidents demonstrates some morals at the end of their tenure, but use to be blind in zenith of their power.
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Dec 24, 2016 12:22pm
After this Israel should occupy more land in Palestine. Most of the rational thinking world would be supportive of this.
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Dec 24, 2016 12:36pm
At least some hope for poor palestinian for the end of slavery.
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Dec 24, 2016 12:40pm
Israel has refused to stop the illegal constructions on Occupied Lands and are being encouraged to do so by some powerful countries.
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Dec 24, 2016 12:41pm
Bravo UN. At least some spine you have shown.
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Dec 24, 2016 12:44pm
@Chandra, UN is USA and USA is UN. Wake up man.
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Dec 24, 2016 12:58pm
For a change only.
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Dec 24, 2016 01:07pm
@Abhishek Because it has great and important relevance to Kashmir UN resolution - Ashishek.
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Dec 24, 2016 02:10pm
@Chandra I am not talking about reversal of UN resolution. I am just referring to the absention by US representative in UN on this issue on which US has taken a pro-Israeli stance for a long time and this is the first time US has chosen to abstain. But after Trump takes power on Jan20, US might go back to the staunch pro-Israeli stand again in UN and elsewhere.
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Dec 24, 2016 02:12pm
@Abhishek.. This is called Muslim Brotherhood, we as Muslims are connected with our brother Muslims all across the globe, and will support eachother in all possible ways. Whether it is about our Kashmiri brothers or Palestinian brothers, we will stand with them shoulder to shoulder.
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Dec 24, 2016 02:28pm
Obama could have done a lot for world peace but did nothing. Whilst this last move is good but its too little and too small comparing the suffering of women and children for years.
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Dec 24, 2016 02:42pm
@Ramesh Nakhwa - In what way Obama has messed up everything?
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Dec 24, 2016 02:47pm
I hope one day UN will pass a unanimous resolution for the peaceful settlement of Kashmir issue between Indian and Pakistan. This is the only way of solving out the problem since both the estranged brothers have failed to solve it bilaterally.
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Dec 24, 2016 04:00pm
The only highlight of this news was that US admin decided to be absent despite trump wanting to veto the measure. Hence one should know what the future will be once trump comes in power. However i do have a question from many indians commenting here as to why they are against palestinians given the fact that atrocities done on them are far worst then what they have done on Israelis? Palestinians havent done anything bad to india and even if they have good relations with israel even then those settlements are illegal. P.S I am not anti indian but just want to know their point of view and hope to get a response for that without being bashed by anyone.
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Dec 24, 2016 04:42pm
@MUMBAI VICTIMS PARENTS
"Terrorism is pure evil" Most definitely that it is including the state terrorism of India perpetrated over unarmed Ksshmiris for the last several decades in violation of UN resolutions.
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Dec 24, 2016 04:49pm
It does have its great symbolic value but nothing can stop Netanyahu unless the American tax payer's hard earned money stops reaching the Israeli coffers.
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Dec 24, 2016 04:52pm
World will miss Obama. That poor guy tried to restraint the evil initiated by the previous governments. He really had no other option. Donald Trump is going to ruin everything.
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Dec 24, 2016 05:09pm
I think Obama has stopped working or creating challenges for Trump. BTW Israel is not going to backtrack.
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Dec 24, 2016 05:12pm
My question is what this resolution will achieve, will it halt Israel from building the settlements? I doubt it, Israel will trash this resolution as usual and continue to build the settlement like what it has been doing for previous such resolutions
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Dec 24, 2016 05:33pm
I am of the opinion that Palestinians should settle in the iraq-Syria region once the ISIS dust settles down. Israel is already a dangerous country and if it is posed with an existential threat, it will only mean more spies, more proxy wars, more covert operations and more wars. This voting wont have any meaning since it has to be formally adopted as a resolution which will never happen. Peace in middle East is bad business for saudi Saudis and USA. That's why there won't be any solution.
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Dec 24, 2016 05:51pm
Well done Obama Administration- Trump is going to be unreliable - realistically his thought process of a business minded person will tell him to avoid clash with the Muslim world in general and Arabs in particular. Secondly the war clouds are slowly gathering over the Middle East.
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Dec 24, 2016 05:56pm
@Alba Devastating War is coming - slowly but surely.
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Dec 24, 2016 05:56pm
This is nothing but a show. UN can only force the weak, not the powerful. Just look at the Kashmir Resolution. Same fate awaits this.
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Dec 24, 2016 06:03pm
@Ramesh Nakhwa He is the president of US right now even in January 2017 until President elect takes oath - so no question of messing up anything. He had taken a decision which as president he has the right to take. Trump will follow suit - he will have to eventually - even the Israeli's know this - he is the most unpredictable or will be the most unpredictable president of US - Israeli Lobby already knows this - one way or the other war is coming
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Dec 24, 2016 06:23pm
Just passing the resolution in UNSC is not enough, but one has to move rapidly with effective sanctions against the Israeli regime to end the inacceptable and illegal ocupation of Palestine, where USA have been and are the main stumbling block.
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Dec 24, 2016 07:06pm
A great and historical U.N. resolution unanimously adopted by its security council with a powerful 14-0 vote. For sure, it will go a long way in achieving peace, justice and pursuit of happiness for the millions of hapless and helpless people of Palestine as well as other places in the world like Jammu and Kashmir.
Credit must be given where it is due. In this case, all credit goes to President Obama who notwithstanding the tremendous internal & external pressures especially from the powerful Jewish lobbies in Washington D.C.has shown the courage, the fortitude, the wisdom and the vision to call a spade, a spade.
For sure, true justice might be delayed in today's contemporary world that we all live in, but for sure, it can't be denied for ever.
My message to the brave people of Palestine as well as Jammu & Kashmir and all similar places in this world at this crucial juncture in time and history, while the historic year of 2016 is almost over, is to keep it up and hang on tough.
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Dec 24, 2016 07:42pm
Good decision by UN.
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Dec 24, 2016 07:42pm
@MUMBAI VICTIMS PARENTS agreed 100%. Israel and India should stop nourturing state sponsored terrorism.
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Dec 24, 2016 08:02pm
i admire president Obama. he rightly deserved noble prize. but in the case of Syria he failed miserably and prolonged civil war bringing death and destruction.he should have allowed bashar to rule. there was no genuine reason for civil war in Syria except ulterior motives , selfishness and greed. statement issued by foreign office of u.s .a stating reasons for abstention is politically correct. word of caution for nitin yahoo, instead of refuting the resolution , act like statesman and not like petty politician, cease all settlement activity and sue for peace with Palestinians
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Dec 24, 2016 08:42pm
Israelis are a scared nation, scared of their own history of being defeated. For them every rope is a snake, every stranger is a murderer and every rule that concerns them is made to destroy them. It is more about their psychology rather than politics. They expected Christians to help them and support them for every folly they made. But there is a limit. They are too spoiled.
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Dec 25, 2016 09:22pm
Who controls who is the biggest question in American politics..One day America will become like Germany..It is just a matter of time..Wonder how long one can hide the sun and the moon...
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