JCall welcomes the resolution adopted Friday night by the Security Council. Despite the statement of the office of the Israeli Prime Minister, it is not an « anti-Israeli resolution », but a resolution against the policy of occupation and colonization his governement has conducted for years. It simply expresses the refusal of the international community to allow Israel to occupy indefinitely the territory where must be built the future Palestinian State. By making a difference between the occupied territories and Israel, it allows the Two State solution to be saved and encourages all those who, in Israel and abroad, have beeen fighting for years for peace.
This resolution, condemning as well all acts of violence and terrorism against civilians, has been adopted thanks to the abstention of the United States and to the support of fourteen other members of the Security Council, including France which acknowledged its balanced character. This is not the first time that the United States vote or allow to vote resolutions on the Israelo-Palestinian conflict in the Security Council. Since 1967, 77 such resolutions were adopted, 14 under the Reagan administration, 9 under the Georges Bush administration, 3 under the Clinton administration and 6 under the Georges W. Bush administration.
Adopted under Chapter VI of the UN Charter, it will have no coercive character and is only a recommendation to the Israeli leaders in order to warn them of the consensus of the international community against the continuing occupation and colonization. After having said that « the settlements had no legal validity », Samantha Power, American UN ambassador, declared that « One cannot simultaneously champion expanding Israeli settlements and champion a viable two-state solution that would end the conflict . »
The last few days in Jerusalem, Israeli leaders feared that on the eve of his departure, Obama would decide to allow the UN to adopt a resolution condemning the Israeli settlement policy. The recent initiatives of the Israeli right intoxicated by Donald Trump’s victory, such as the vote at first reading of a law of regularisation of illegal settlements, the statements of ministers calling for the development of colonization and for the annexation of 60% of the West Bank, would have put an end to the Two State solution, and have certainly influenced the American decision to abstain instead of using their veto.
By declaring that « the Obama administration not only failed to protect Israel against this gang-up at the UN, it colluded with it behind the scenes », the Office of the Prime Minister seems to have already forgotten the military agreement signed a few months ago by the same administration, increasing substantially its military aid to Israel for the next decade.
On November 22, 1967, almost half a century ago, the resolution 242 was unanimously adopted by the Security Council. It underlined already « The inadmissibility of acquisition of territory by war.» In spite of this ambiguous wording, it remains till today one of the references accepted by the international community in order to solve the conflict. The resolution adopted on this eve of Christmas and of Hanukkah is probably the best present the President could offer to peace in the region.The resolution adopted on December 23 will perhaps become one day another reference allowing both parties to find the way back to the path of negotiation.
For this reason, this vote is a chance for Israel, not a threat.
