<p>The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has passed a resolution demanding the halt of illegal settlement activity by Israel on occupied Palestinian territory. This is historic, not so much for the content of the resolution – there are several UNSC resolutions calling on Israel to pullout from Palestinian land occupied in the 1967 war and halt settlement activity there – as for the fact that it was adopted by the UNSC. Since 1979, not a single UNSC resolution relating to Israeli aggression, occupation of Palestinian land or settlement activity has been passed. The United States blocked every one of these by wielding its veto. For the first time now, Washington abstained instead of voting against an Israel-related resolution, enabling it to pass 14-0. The passage of UNSC Resolution 2334 indicates Israel’s complete isolation in the comity of nations. It also reflects the Barack Obama administration’s frustration with Israeli intransigence on settlements. Its abstention marks a long-overdue shift in US policy towards Israel in the UN.<br /><br />However, the shift, coming as it does at the very end of Obama’s presidency will have little real impact, especially since president-elect Donald Trump strongly supports Israel’s aggressive policies. In fact, Trump put immense pressure on the Obama administration to veto the resolution. He is, therefore, likely to go back to supporting Israel’s settlement policy. Thus, the US shift is at best temporary and symbolic. While welcome, it has come rather late to have positive impact. While the resolution declares that Israel’s settlements have “no legal validity,” it does not include mechanisms to meaningfully enforce this determination, undermining its value further on the ground. Besides, there is little chance of the Israeli government abiding by the resolution.<br /><br />The Israeli government has denounced the historic UNSC resolution as a vote against Israel and the Jewish people. It is not. The resolution is a vote against the Israeli state’s occupation of Palestinian land, its flagrant violation of international law and contempt for UN resolutions. The resolution is aimed at removing an important obstacle – Israeli settlements – in the way of the UN-endorsed two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict. The two-state solution is hardly against Israel or the Jewish people. In fact, it would enhance the security of Israel and its people as well as that of the Palestinian people. Indeed, it is the Israeli government’s policies of blocking the Palestinian people’s right to a state and its continuing occupation of Palestinian land that underlies Israel’s insecurity. Israel must wake up to the fact that it is in enhancing the security of its neighbours that its own security lies. Implementing the UNSC Resolution 2334 would be the first step in that direction.</p>
<p>The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has passed a resolution demanding the halt of illegal settlement activity by Israel on occupied Palestinian territory. This is historic, not so much for the content of the resolution – there are several UNSC resolutions calling on Israel to pullout from Palestinian land occupied in the 1967 war and halt settlement activity there – as for the fact that it was adopted by the UNSC. Since 1979, not a single UNSC resolution relating to Israeli aggression, occupation of Palestinian land or settlement activity has been passed. The United States blocked every one of these by wielding its veto. For the first time now, Washington abstained instead of voting against an Israel-related resolution, enabling it to pass 14-0. The passage of UNSC Resolution 2334 indicates Israel’s complete isolation in the comity of nations. It also reflects the Barack Obama administration’s frustration with Israeli intransigence on settlements. Its abstention marks a long-overdue shift in US policy towards Israel in the UN.<br /><br />However, the shift, coming as it does at the very end of Obama’s presidency will have little real impact, especially since president-elect Donald Trump strongly supports Israel’s aggressive policies. In fact, Trump put immense pressure on the Obama administration to veto the resolution. He is, therefore, likely to go back to supporting Israel’s settlement policy. Thus, the US shift is at best temporary and symbolic. While welcome, it has come rather late to have positive impact. While the resolution declares that Israel’s settlements have “no legal validity,” it does not include mechanisms to meaningfully enforce this determination, undermining its value further on the ground. Besides, there is little chance of the Israeli government abiding by the resolution.<br /><br />The Israeli government has denounced the historic UNSC resolution as a vote against Israel and the Jewish people. It is not. The resolution is a vote against the Israeli state’s occupation of Palestinian land, its flagrant violation of international law and contempt for UN resolutions. The resolution is aimed at removing an important obstacle – Israeli settlements – in the way of the UN-endorsed two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict. The two-state solution is hardly against Israel or the Jewish people. In fact, it would enhance the security of Israel and its people as well as that of the Palestinian people. Indeed, it is the Israeli government’s policies of blocking the Palestinian people’s right to a state and its continuing occupation of Palestinian land that underlies Israel’s insecurity. Israel must wake up to the fact that it is in enhancing the security of its neighbours that its own security lies. Implementing the UNSC Resolution 2334 would be the first step in that direction.</p>
