As the UN Security Council on Friday passed a resolution
condemning Israeli settlements in the West Bank, responses in the Jewish state
ranged from outrage at US President Barack Obama over the abstention from
vetoing the measure, to blaming Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing
policies for alienating the international community.
Netanyahu's office issued
a statement saying "Israel rejects this shameful anti-Israel resolution at
the UN and will not abide by its terms. At a time when the Security Council
does nothing to stop the slaughter of half a million people in Syria, it
disgracefully gangs up on the one true democracy in the Middle East, Israel,
and calls the Western Wall 'occupied territory.'"
The strongly worded
statement charged that "The Obama administration
not only failed to protect Israel against this gang-up at the UN, it colluded
with it behind the scenes. Israel looks forward to working with
President-elect Trump and with all our friends in Congress, Republicans and
Democrats alike, to negate the harmful effects of this absurd resolution."
Israel's Minister of
National Infrastructure, Energy and Water Resources Yuval Steinitz charged that
Washington had effectively "abandoned Israel, its only ally in the Middle
East," further adding that such "behavior" was not befitting of
a "friend."
Whereas Tzipi Livni, a
former foreign minister, conceding the resolution was "bad" for
Israel, laid the blame at Netanyahu's door for "surrendering" to the
far right: "Netyanyahu passed the [pro-settlement] regulation bill and we
all will pay the price," she wrote on Twitter.
Opposition Leader Isaac
Herzog spoke of "a difficult evening for Israel," saying that
whatever illusions Israelis had over "the applause" Netanyahu's
speeches received abroad were "shattered" by a decision that leaves
Israel "an an outcast among the nations."
Fellow Zionist Union
lawmakers Eitan Cabel, Erel Margalit and Yoel Hasson accused Netanyahu of
self-centered arrogance and "political sloppiness," which "cost
Israel dear."
Ayman Odeh, the leader of
the predominantly Arab United List faction, charged that Netanyahu's policies,
including the regulation bill, showed the world he's the "peace
refusenik," echoing the language of Netanyahu and right-wing Defense
Minister Avigdor Lieberman on Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas.
Palestinian officials
including veteran statesman and negotiator Saeb Erekat spoke of a
"victory."
Ryan
slams 'shameful' abstention
In the US, prominent
conservative supporters of Israel condemned the resolution.
The US GOP House Majority
leader slammed the US abstention as "absolutely shameful," saying the
resolution was aimed to "isolate and demonize" Israel.
Republican Senator John
McCain said the abstention makes the US "complicit in this outrageous
attack" against Israel.
President-elect Trump
responded to the vote saying, "Things will be different after Jan.
20th."
****
Jewish settlements? What about Islamic occupation?
Well, the Obama presidency will end in 27 days 18 hours and
19 minutes but the mess Obama’s
absurd policies have created will endanger humanity for years to come!
What Obama has actually
done is underline what his legacy will be: Support of the
Muslim Brotherhood, capitulation to Iran, failure to face down
Assad and joining the jackals at the UN against Israel.
