A U.N. Security Council vote to condemn Israeli
settlement construction in areas Palestinians want for an independent state was
delayed Thursday, hours after President-elect Donald Trump, several other
prominent Republicans and Israel slammed the motion and called on the Obama
administration to veto it. [1]
The U.N. Security Council on Friday passed a
resolution demanding that Israel cease Jewish settlement activity on
Palestinian territory in a unanimous vote that passed when the United States
abstained rather than using its veto as it has reliably done in the past.[2]
On Friday, in a dramatic departure from
longstanding US practice, Barack Obama's government stepped aside and allowed
the UN Security Council to censure Israeli settlement construction in the West
Bank and east Jerusalem as a violation of international law.[3]
The international community considers the establishment of
Israeli settlements in the Israeli-occupied territories illegal under
international law.[1][2][3][4][5] Israel maintains that they are
consistent with international law[6] because it does not agree
that the Fourth Geneva
Convention
applies to the territories occupied in the 1967 Six-Day War.[7] The United Nations Security
Council, the
United Nations General
Assembly, the
International Committee
of the Red Cross, the International Court of
Justice and
the High Contracting
Parties to
the Convention have all affirmed that the Fourth Geneva Convention does apply.[8][9]
The passing of this resolution was a great
disappointment for PM Benjamin Netanyahu and his team. They seem to take for
granted that the US will automatically veto any anti- Israel resolutions drawn
up in the UNSC. This time it just did not happen.
Many Israeli pundits view this as a “parting
shot of vengeance” against Israel from outgoing President Barack Obama, whose
dislike for PM Benjamin Netanyahu is no secret. All those who PM Netanyahu had
regarded as close friends of Israel in the Security Council supported the
anti-settlement resolution, which they viewed as a large obstacle to the
Two-State Solution. Israel will re-assess its ties with the United Nations
following the adoption by the Security Council of a resolution demanding an end
to Israeli settlement building, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on
Saturday [4]. The fact that the Jewish settlements in the West Bank are expanding
as well as the establishment of new settlements is destroying the Two-State
Solution. This is what the Security Council members believe. This reflects the
worldview on the Two-State Solution.
Having mentioned this, we must bear in mind that
while this is true, and it was not in Israel’s long term interests to encourage
Jewish settlements in Palestinian areas occupied soon after the Six Day War of
June !967. It was a war that was thrust onto Israel by Egypt, Jordan and Syria
with the objective of destroying Israel. It was not a war against the
occupation as there was no occupation. They regarded Israel’s establishment as
the occupation since 1948. The memories of UN Security Council members are
short and possibly non-existent. Israel’s biggest mistake in the aftermath of
the Six Day War was the encouragement of settlements in the areas occupied. The
neighboring Arab States never, recognized Israel’s right to exist and this had
nothing to do with the occupation of territory after the war. Perhaps Israel should have declared the areas occupied after the
war a closed military zone (and not an area for Jewish settlement) for the
purpose of using these occupied areas as a bargaining chip for negotiations for
peace and recognition of Israel’s right to exist leading up to a peace treaty.
However the Arab countries were never prepared to recognize Israel’s right to
exist whether they had occupied territory or not as was proved in the years
from 1948 until June 1967.
The biggest problem for Israel is an existential
one and this has been the case since its establishment in 1948. Now that facts
have been created on the ground and there are over 400 000 settlers, many of
whom are second and third generation Israelis who have grown up in the occupied
territories and forcing them to move out is just not a practical option. How
can it be achieved, especially when there are no partners and the peace process
has become moribund? The scenario for an end to the the occupation without
peace partners and with Hamas, ISIS and Jihadist extremists on Israel’s
doorstep coupled with the general instability and slaughter in Syria and Lebanon..We all wish that the occupation would end. The occupation is unacceptable morally. Unfortunately,
the reality is different and if the occupation goes, the alternative for both Israel and the Palestinians will be far worse. The conflict has become more radical and
the element of religion has become part of the conflict which is not only a
dispute over land. We must also take into account the various players,
including the Islamist terrorist groups such as Hamas, ISIS
(Daesh), Salafis, Islamic Jihad and others. The right wing Jewish terrorist movements are also a factor
that cannot be overlooked. This resolution that
was passed on 23rd December 2016 by an overwhelming vote in the UNSC is not a
realistic resolution and under the present circumstances is not feasible.
Boycotting Israeli settlements in the occupied territories will not change the
situation on the ground for the better as Hamas and the Palestinian Authority,
especially the former by their own admittance, want to see Israel destroyed.
The basic thinking of the Security Council
members in supporting a Two State Solution is morally justifiable but it is not
practical for the reasons mentioned in this article. The big question is how to
negotiate the end of the occupation and with whom. Unfortunately as
circumstances are today nobody - certainly not the US and the UNSC members,
have any answers or solutions. This resolution against the settlements in the
occupied territories is an exercise in futility and naivety and will achieve
nothing apart from elevating the ego of the Palestinian Leadership against
Israel.
1. 23 Dec. 2016, http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/dec/22/trump-netanyahu-press-obama-to-veto-uns-jewish-set/. Accessed 24 Dec. 2016.
2. 23 Dec. 2016, https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/us-declines-to-veto-un-security-council-resolution-for-israel-to-stop-jewish-settlement-activity/2016/12/23/cd4efe72-c939-11e6-bf4b-2c064d32a4bf_story.html. Accessed 24 Dec. 2016.
3. 24 Dec. 2016, http://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/2057042/israel-irate-after-un-security-council-condemns-illegal. Accessed 24 Dec. 2016.
4.24 Dec. 2016, http://www.reuters.com/article/us-israel-palestinians-un-idUSKBN14C1IV. Accessed 24 Dec. 2016.
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