Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday ordered a temporary suspension of relations with the 12 United Nations Security Council members who voted in favor of a resolution which says Israel's settlements in the West Bank "had no legal validity."
Netanyahu personally met with and scolded 10 of the ambassadors from the dozen countries who voted for the resolution that says the settlement constituted "a flagrant violation under international law and a major obstacle to the vision of two States living side-by-side in peace and security."
Netanyahu says he will not have a working relationship with the governments of the countries – Angola, Britain, China, Egypt, France, Japan, New Zealand, Senegal, Spain, Ukraine, Uruguay and Russia.
The United States is not on that list because they abstained from voting on the resolution. Israeli officials say they have proof from Arab sources that the United States helped to craft the resolution they abstained from voting for.
Here’s what other media outlets are saying about the development.
Israel: ‘Ironclad information’ White House was behind UN rebuke
JERUSALEM (AP) – “Israel is stepping up its attacks on the Obama administration, saying it has proof from Arab sources that the U.S. actively helped craft a U.N. resolution that declared Israeli settlements illegal.
David Keyes, a spokesman for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, says Israel has "ironclad information" that the White House helped draft the language of the resolution. Citing Arab sources, he said Tuesday that the White House "pushed hard" for its passage.”
Israel braces for more tensions with US as Kerry plans major speech
“Israel is bracing for yet another potential clash with the Obama administration in the final weeks before President-elect Donald Trump takes office, as Secretary of State John Kerry prepares to follow up last week’s anti-settlement U.N. censure with a major address on the U.S. vision for resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The Times of Israel and Israel’s Channel 2 report that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is concerned about an Obama administration bid to have the Security Council endorse principles for a Palestinian state, and is reaching out to allies in the U.S. Congress and the incoming Trump administration to try and deter further action against Israel.”
Israel curtails ties with countries over U.N. settlements vote
“In a statement, Foreign Ministry spokesman Emmanuel Nahshon said Israel was limiting its "work contacts with the 10 relevant embassies here, as well as travels of officials from Israel to those countries ... until otherwise decided." (Two other countries were added to the list after this story was posted)
These countries were Britain, France, Russia, China, Japan, Ukraine, Angola, Egypt, Uruguay and Spain, said Nahshon.
The Palestinians claim the West Bank along with east Jerusalem — home to holy sites sacred to Jews, Muslims and Christians — as parts of their future state. Israel says settlement activities in the territories, which were captured by Israel in the 1967 war, should be agreed upon in future peace talks.”
Israel pressing ahead with settlements after U.N. vote
“The Jerusalem municipality, undeterred by a U.N. anti-settlement resolution, is due to consider on Wednesday requests for construction permits for hundreds of new homes for Israelis in areas that Israel captured in 1967 and annexed to the city.
Israel is still fuming over the resolution approved last Friday by the United Nations Security Council that demands an end to settlement activity in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem.
Israel has also described as “shameful” the decision of its long-standing ally the United States to abstain in the vote rather than wield its veto. The Obama administration is a strong opponent of the settlements.”
Israel urges Jews to leave France as Benjamin Netanyahu continues to lash out after UN vote
“Israel’s defense minister has urged Jews to leave France and move to the Jewish state as the Israeli government continued to lash out at the international community in the wake of a UN resolution criticizing its settlements in the occupied West Bank.
Four days after the US allowed the UN Security Council to censure Israeli settlement building, Israel’s government is on a heated rhetorical campaign against the 12 countries that voted against it.”
Israel defies U.N. vote, vows to build new settlements
“Israel on Tuesday intensified its criticism of the Obama administration for allowing the United Nations to pass a resolution condemning Israeli settlements, and vowed to press ahead with new construction in East Jerusalem, which Palestinians hope to make the capital of an independent state.
David Keyes, a spokesman for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, said Israel has “ironclad information” that the White House helped draft the resolution, the Associated Press reported. The Obama administration denied the allegation.”
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