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March 19, 2015

Report: U.S. May Stop Blocking U.N. Resolutions on Israeli-Palestinian Peace 
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The Obama administration has signaled a potential shift in its approach
to Israel and Palestine following the re-election of Israeli Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. On the eve of the vote, Netanyahu vowed to
prevent the establishment of a Palestinian state and warned against a
high turnout of Arab voters. In its first public response, the White
House said it is "deeply concerned" about divisive rhetoric and "will
evaluate our approach to this situation moving forward." According to
The New York Times, the Obama administration is considering backing a
U.N. Security Council resolution calling for a two-state solution based
on an Israeli withdrawal from the Occupied Territories. That would mean
President Obama would be formally supporting official U.S. policy for
the first time, after previously vetoing similar resolutions at the
United Nations. A White House official said: "We are now in a reality
where the Israeli government no longer supports direct negotiations.
Therefore we clearly have to factor that into our decisions going
forward." On Wednesday, a spokesperson for U.N. Secretary-General Ban
Ki-moon renewed calls on Israel to end the occupation.

Farhan Haq: "It's incumbent on the new Israeli government, once formed,
to create the conditions for a negotiated, final peace agreement with
the active engagement of the international community that will end the
Israeli occupation and realize the creation of a viable Palestinian
state living in peace and security alongside Israel. This includes the
cessation of illegal settlement building in the occupied Palestinian
territory."

 

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