Government ministers and sources close to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu continued today with unprecedented attacks on the outgoing president of the US, Barack Obama, after the US abstained in Friday's vote in the UN Security Council on resolution 2334 against Israeli settlement in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. "Obama capitulated to the Iranians, abandoned the Syrians, and stuck a knife in the back of the Israelis," minister Tzachi Hanegbi said, concluding with optimism about President-elect Donald Trump's accession to office: "In another 25 days the reality will change. I believe that the new administration will wipe away this stain," he said.
Netanyahu himself said at the start of today's weekly cabinet meeting that he had had a tough-talking telephone conversation with US Secretary of State John Kerry. "I told him that friends do not take friends to the UN Security Council," he said.
Netanyahu told minsters concerning the Security Council resolution, "From the information that we have, we have no doubt that the Obama administration initiated it, stood behind it, coordinated on the wording and demanded that it be passed. This is, of course, in complete contradiction of traditional American policy that was committed to not trying to dictate terms for a permanent agreement, and, of course, the explicit commitment of President Obama himself, in 2011, to refrain from such steps. We will do whatever is necessary so that Israel will not be damaged by this shameful resolution and I also tell the ministers here, we must act prudently, responsibly and calmly, in both actions and words."
Netanyahu added that he drew encouragement from the fact that supporters of Israel from both the Democratic and Republican parties considered the resolution "hasty and destructive."
The prime minister, who is also minister of foreign affairs, instructed Ministry of Foreign Affairs officials to summon the ambassadors of all the countries that are members of the Security Council for reprimands, apart from the US ambassador. Netanyahu has summoned US ambassador Dan Shapiro to meet him personally. Minister of Defense Avigdor Liberman has also ordered initial operative measures. IDF commanders will cease contacts and planned meetings with Palestinian Authority officials, other than contacts with the Authority's security apparatus.
Contrary to the reactions of senior Likud figures, who mainly dealt in personal attacks on President Obama, the Habayit Hayehudi party focused on the need to adopt a dramatic approach involving the imposition of Israeli sovereignty on Judea and Samaria (West Bank). Party chairman Naftali Bennett said on a visit to the Western Wall in Jerusalem today, "An orderly plan for imposing sovereignty will be promoted - first Ma'aleh Adumim and Area C, and after that all of Juda and Samaria." Fellow party member Minister of Justice Ayelet Shaked wrote in her Twitter account, with customary unity of message with the party leader, "When we bow our heads it is of no avail. We must hold our heads high. We must do what is good for Israel - we must talk about annexation."
UN Security Resolution 2334 states that Israeli settlement in Judea and Samaria has no legal validity and represents an obstacle to peace. The resolution also calls on Israel to halt building in settlements, including in East Jerusalem, and on all countries to distinguish between Israel and the West Bank, the implication of which is an economic boycott on products from the territories.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on December 25, 2016
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