Trump Calls for Obama Veto of UN Settlement Resolution

The statement also took a broader swipe at the United Nations resolution, calling it “shameful” and promising that Israel would “not abide by its terms”. You voted “no” to progress, and a chance for better lives for Israelis and Palestinians.

On Facebook, Trump wrote that the draft resolution “should be vetoed”. Guterres takes office January 1.

The U.N. Security Council had been scheduled to vote on a draft resolution Thursday, calling on Israel to stop all settlement activity in “Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem”.

Israel and Mr Trump had called on the United States to veto the measure.

Earlier this afternoon, the 15-member Council adopted the resolution by a vote of 14 in favour and with one abstention – the United States abstained from the vote.

Two unnamed Western officials told Reuters that outgoing President Barack Obama had meant to have the United States abstain from the vote, saying it was to register criticism of the building on occupied land that Palestinians want for a state.

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has welcomed a resolution demanding an end to Israeli settlements in Palestinian territories. The decision followed concerns raised by US President-elect Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and sources claim that Cairo acted under pressure so as not to alienate the future Potus.

When the vote came in, U.S. Ambassador Samantha Power raised her hand to abstain, marking an extraordinary break by the Obama administration. “Further settlement activity is in no way necessary for the security of Israel, and only diminishes the confidence of the Arabs that a final outcome can be freely and fairly negotiated”. “This cowardly, disgraceful action cements President Obama‘s richly deserved legacy as the most anti-Israel president in American history”. He has spoken disparagingly of Palestinians, saying they have been “taken over” by or are condoning militant groups.

President Obama stabbed Israel in the back Friday by refusing to block a contentious UN Security Council resolution that demands the Jewish state cease all development in occupied territories.

Trump and Friedman also support moving the USA embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, a move opposed by the Palestinians and many nations.

There was thunderous applause on Friday in the Security Council chamber following the vote, after the Obama administration delivered a parting kick to the Netanyahu regime.

The resolution also says the existing settlements have “no legal validity” and are “a flagrant violation” of worldwide law.

“[In] the peace process, the issues for negotiations [are]: Jerusalem, borders, settlements, the regime, security… and no one should pre-empt or prejudge, because this will be a destruction of the peace process as a whole”, Erekat said.

Malaysia, Senegal, New Zealand and Venezuela, which were co-sponsors of the resolution, are due to submit the draft.

After the postponement of the vote, an Israeli official told Reuters that it had warned the Obama administration in advance that it would appeal to the president-elect if the United States abstained, and confirmed that it had directly asked Mr Trump to intervene.

“We need to see these results not only from the point of religion, but it also signifies the strong support of the worldwide community against violations of global law committed by the Zionist regime through illegal settlements”, Najib wrote on his blog, Saturday. Rather than vetoing it in defense of our longtime ally, the US refrained from voting.