The UN Security Council on Monday (February 20th) denounced the legalization of nine Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, saying settlements were an “obstruct” to peace. “Israel’s continued settlement activities jeopardize the viability of the two-state solution,” said the Council in this statement by the presidency, supported by all fifteen members but which does not have the binding scope of the resolution envisaged last week.
The Security Council “strongly opposes all unilateral measures impeding peace, including, inter alia, the construction and expansion of Israeli settlements, the confiscation of Palestinian land, and the ‘legalization’ of settlements, demolition of Palestinian homes and the displacement of Palestinian civilians”. It “expresses deep concern and dismay” over Israel’s recent announcement to legalize nine settlements and build new housing in existing settlements.
The Emirati draft resolution rejected by Washington
After this announcement by the Israeli security cabinet on February 12, the United Arab Emirates had circulated among the member states of the Council a draft resolution condemning “all attempts at annexation, including Israeli decisions and measures concerning settlements. and calling for “their immediate withdrawal”. The text also demanded that Israel “immediately and completely cease its settlement activities in the occupied territories, including East Jerusalem”.
The initiative had provoked the dissatisfaction of the United States, which has a right of veto in the Council. The State Department had thus denounced a resolution “of little use in terms of the support necessary for the negotiations on the two-state solution”. However, Washington had at the same time denounced the announcement relating to the nine colonies. The draft resolution was withdrawn after discussions including between Palestinians and Americans, said a diplomatic source.
“A step in the right direction”
Asked about his possible disappointment at seeing the possible resolution downgraded to a presidential statement, Palestinian Ambassador to the UN Riyad Mansour stressed that the important thing was to have a “united position” from the Council. “Isolating one part is a step in the right direction,” he told reporters.
In December 2016, for the first time since 1979, the Security Council called on Israel to end colonization in the Palestinian territories, in a resolution allowed by the decision of the United States not to use its right of veto. Washington had abstained in this vote a few weeks before the transfer of power between Barack Obama and Donald Trump, while he had always supported Israel until then on this sensitive issue.