Religious fundamentalists and nationalists rule Israel. Their goal: the expansion of Israeli territory in the occupied West Bank. The United Nations condemns the action in the strongest possible terms. Prime Minister Netanyahu is at least partially giving in.
The UN Security Council condemns the Israeli government’s retrospective approval of Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank. “The Security Council reiterates that continued Israeli settlement activities dangerously jeopardize the viability of the two-state solution based on the 1967 lines,” said a unanimously adopted statement by the 15 members of the United Nations’ most influential body. “The Security Council expresses its deep concern and dismay at Israel’s February 12 announcement.”
This is the first time in six years that the United States, Israel’s most important protector, has allowed the UN Security Council to issue a statement critical of Israel. US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield criticized the February 12 retroactive approval of nine illegal Jewish settler outposts in the West Bank. This exacerbated tensions and hurt trust.
The US had signaled its approval of the UN Security Council statement after the United Arab Emirates withdrew a more stringent draft resolution. In this, Israel was asked to immediately stop all settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian territories.
Resolutions require at least nine votes and can even then be prevented by one of the veto powers USA, Russia, China, France or Great Britain. Other European and Arab states had previously sharply criticized the legalization of the settlements. In the face of widespread international protest, the government in Jerusalem gave in shortly before the UN Security Council vote.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said no permission would be granted for further settlements in the coming months. Religious fundamentalists and ultra-nationalists are represented in Netanyahu’s cabinet, which has been in office since December. They are calling for Israeli territory to be expanded into the West Bank. The United States and other Western countries see this as a threat to the two-state solution, which they believe could end the decades-long conflict between Israel and the Palestinians.
