President Obama is facing widespread backlash from Republicans and some Democrats after the United States abstained from a vote on a United Nations Security Council resolution condemning Israeli settlements, allowing the resolution to pass.
“Today’s passage of an ill-conceived resolution on Israeli settlements marks another shameful chapter in the bizarre anti-Israel history of the United Nations,” Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) said in a statement Friday.
“The abstention of the United States has made us complicit in this outrageous attack, and marks a troubling departure from our nation’s long, bipartisan history of defending our ally Israel in the United Nations.”
On Friday, the Security Council voted 14-0 on a resolution condemning Israeli settlements in Palestinian territory as a “flagrant violation” of international law that have “”no legal validity.” It demands a halt to “all Israeli settlement activities,” saying this “is essential for salvaging the two-state solution.”
The United States has veto power in the Security Council and has used it for similar resolutions in the past. The Obama administration’s decision to abstain represents a break from the longstanding U.S. policy of shielding Israel from U.N. reproaches.
President-elect Donald Trump pledged that after he is inaugurated, “things will be different.”
In a statement released by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office, Israel said it looks forward to working with Trump and members of Congress to “negate the harmful effects of this absurd resolution.”
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JUST IN: Obama faces backlash for abstaining from UN Israel votehttps://t.co/MSJG4SM9lw pic.twitter.com/pBypEmG1uk
— The Hill (@thehill) December 23, 2016
I intend to recommend to the Trump Administration and new Congress the US suspend UN funding until this #Israel resolution is repealed.
— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) December 23, 2016
Barack Obama and the UN think one of these two things is awful and unacceptable. Guess which one. pic.twitter.com/ck0iur4cDE
— Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) December 23, 2016
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