Palestinian Security Council Resolution, 2011
Encyclopedia
The Palestinian Resolution was rejected by the United Nations
Security Council after the U.S. vetoed the resolution on February 18, 2011. The resolution condemned all Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territory as illegal, called Israel
and Palestine
to follow the Road map for peace
plan, and for both parties to continue negotiations to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict
. Over 120 U.N. member states supported the resolution.
between Israel and Palestine, with the U.S. supporting the negotiations. A month into the discussions a roadblock was hit when a 10-month settlement construction freeze was allowed to expired on September 26. On October 2, Mahmoud Abbas announced that peace negotiations will not continue until settlement construction is once again stopped.
UNSC Resolution 465
has previously noted that the Israeli settlements are in violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention
.
Palestine has recently been lobbying many nations to recognize it as a sovereign state, with eleven South American states now recognising Palestine
since December 2010. Palestine plans to seek recognition from the Security Council later this year as well.
Two months ago, the U.N. General Assembly
passed a similar, though non-binding, resolution with 159 for and 6 against, which called on Israel to stop building settlements.
, explained her veto of the resolution as "this draft resolution risks hardening the positions of both sides. It could encourage the parties to stay out of negotiations", she made note that the U.S. did not support Israeli settlements but that "[W]e reject in the strongest terms the legitimacy of continued Israeli settlement activity,...Continued settlement activity violates Israel’s international commitments, devastates trust between the parties, and threatens the prospects for peace…"-Mahmoud Abbas
, President of the Palestinian National Authority
, stated "We only want to protect our interest and our rights as guaranteed in international law", he also stated that "We are not seeking to break from the U.S. administration and it is not in our interest to do that" Hamas
spokesperson Fawzi Barhoum, said that "The veto reveals the reality of the clear US support to what the Zionist enemy does against our people". Riyad Mansour, Palestine's permanent observer to the U.N., stated that “Our overarching goal remains to bring an end to the Israeli colonization and occupation of our land and its destruction of the two-State solution...We fear, however, that the message sent today may be one that only encourages further Israeli intransigence and impunity.”- Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
's office replied to the veto that "Israel deeply appreciates the decision by President Obama to veto the Security Council Resolution" Ibrahim Sarsur
, an Arab member of the Israeli Knesset responded that “Obama cannot be trusted. We knew his promises were lies. The time has come to spit in the face of the Americans.” Israel
i ambassador to the U.N., Meron Reuben, stated that "the resolution before you should never have been submitted,...Instead, the international community and the Security Council should have called upon the Palestinian leadership, in a clear and resolute voice, to immediately return to the negotiating table.”- The Egyptian Foreign Ministry commented that "The veto, which contradicts the American public stance rejecting settlement policy, will lead to more damage to the United States' credibility on the Arab side as a mediator in peace efforts,"- Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
did not voice an opinion on the vote outcome, instead stating "The international community agrees on the urgent need for a negotiated settlement that will end the occupation that started in 1967 and establish an independent, democratic and viable Palestinian State living side by side in peace and security with Israel. We must do all we can to help the parties move forward."- The organisation which represents 57nations responded by stating that "[The veto] is a devastating blow to the credibility of international efforts to resume the peace process"
A protest is held outside the U.S. embassy in Tel Aviv
, Israel, the day following the vote, with approximately 50 people attending it. One protestor was reported to have stated the protest was part of "a new campaign pointing a finger at the US complicity in Israeli crimes." The following Sunday, approximately 3000 Palestinians gather in Ramallah to protest the veto.
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
Security Council after the U.S. vetoed the resolution on February 18, 2011. The resolution condemned all Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territory as illegal, called Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
and Palestine
State of Palestine
Palestine , officially declared as the State of Palestine , is a state that was proclaimed in exile in Algiers on 15 November 1988, when the Palestine Liberation Organization's National Council adopted the unilateral Palestinian Declaration of Independence...
to follow the Road map for peace
Road map for peace
The roadmap for peace or "road map" for peace is a plan to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict proposed by a "quartet" of international entities: the United States, the European Union, Russia, and the United Nations. The principles of the plan, originally drafted by U.S. Foreign Service...
plan, and for both parties to continue negotiations to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict
Israeli-Palestinian conflict
The Israeli–Palestinian conflict is the ongoing conflict between Israelis and Palestinians. The conflict is wide-ranging, and the term is also used in reference to the earlier phases of the same conflict, between Jewish and Zionist yishuv and the Arab population living in Palestine under Ottoman or...
. Over 120 U.N. member states supported the resolution.
Background
The peace process was revitalized in September 2010, with direct talksDirect negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians in 2010
Direct negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian National Authority have been taking place since September 2010, between United States President Barack Obama, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas and ended when Netanyahu refused to extend...
between Israel and Palestine, with the U.S. supporting the negotiations. A month into the discussions a roadblock was hit when a 10-month settlement construction freeze was allowed to expired on September 26. On October 2, Mahmoud Abbas announced that peace negotiations will not continue until settlement construction is once again stopped.
UNSC Resolution 465
United Nations Security Council Resolution 465
United Nations Security Council Resolution 465, adopted unanimously on March 1, 1980, was on the issue of the Israeli settlements and administration in "the Arab territories occupied since 1967, including Jerusalem"...
has previously noted that the Israeli settlements are in violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention
Fourth Geneva Convention
The Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, commonly referred to as the Fourth Geneva Convention and abbreviated as GCIV, is one of the four treaties of the Geneva Conventions. It was adopted in August 1949, and defines humanitarian protections for civilians...
.
Palestine has recently been lobbying many nations to recognize it as a sovereign state, with eleven South American states now recognising Palestine
International recognition of the State of Palestine
The State of Palestine was proclaimed on 15 November 1988 in Algiers at an extraordinary session in exile of the Palestine National Council. Legal justification for this act was based on United Nations General Assembly Resolution 181 of 29 November 1947, which provided for the termination and...
since December 2010. Palestine plans to seek recognition from the Security Council later this year as well.
Two months ago, the U.N. General Assembly
United Nations General Assembly
For two articles dealing with membership in the General Assembly, see:* General Assembly members* General Assembly observersThe United Nations General Assembly is one of the five principal organs of the United Nations and the only one in which all member nations have equal representation...
passed a similar, though non-binding, resolution with 159 for and 6 against, which called on Israel to stop building settlements.
UN Security Council vote
The U.S. attempted several times to persuade Palestine to rescind the resolution or accept a non-binding resolution instead. Palestine refused and brought the resolution to the Security Council where it was voted on by the members. The final vote was 14 for and the U.S., whose vote holds veto power, alone was against it. This was the first U.N. veto used by the Obama administration.International response
- Ambassador Susan E. RiceSusan E. Rice
Susan Elizabeth Rice is an American diplomat, former think tank fellow, and civil servant. She is an American foreign policy advisor and United States Ambassador to the United Nations. Rice served on the staff of the National Security Council and as Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs...
, explained her veto of the resolution as "this draft resolution risks hardening the positions of both sides. It could encourage the parties to stay out of negotiations", she made note that the U.S. did not support Israeli settlements but that "[W]e reject in the strongest terms the legitimacy of continued Israeli settlement activity,...Continued settlement activity violates Israel’s international commitments, devastates trust between the parties, and threatens the prospects for peace…"-Mahmoud Abbas
Mahmoud Abbas
Mahmoud Abbas , also known by the kunya Abu Mazen , has been the Chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organisation since 11 November 2004 and became President of the Palestinian National Authority on 15 January 2005 on the Fatah ticket.Elected to serve until 9 January 2009, he unilaterally...
, President of the Palestinian National Authority
Palestinian National Authority
The Palestinian Authority is the administrative organization established to govern parts of the West Bank and Gaza Strip...
, stated "We only want to protect our interest and our rights as guaranteed in international law", he also stated that "We are not seeking to break from the U.S. administration and it is not in our interest to do that" Hamas
Hamas
Hamas is the Palestinian Sunni Islamic or Islamist political party that governs the Gaza Strip. Hamas also has a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades...
spokesperson Fawzi Barhoum, said that "The veto reveals the reality of the clear US support to what the Zionist enemy does against our people". Riyad Mansour, Palestine's permanent observer to the U.N., stated that “Our overarching goal remains to bring an end to the Israeli colonization and occupation of our land and its destruction of the two-State solution...We fear, however, that the message sent today may be one that only encourages further Israeli intransigence and impunity.”- Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
Benjamin Netanyahu
Benjamin "Bibi" Netanyahu is the current Prime Minister of Israel. He serves also as the Chairman of the Likud Party, as a Knesset member, as the Health Minister of Israel, as the Pensioner Affairs Minister of Israel and as the Economic Strategy Minister of Israel.Netanyahu is the first and, to...
's office replied to the veto that "Israel deeply appreciates the decision by President Obama to veto the Security Council Resolution" Ibrahim Sarsur
Ibrahim Sarsur
Sheikh Ibrahim Sarsur is an Israeli Arab politician and member of the Knesset for the United Arab List, of which he is the party leader.-Biography:...
, an Arab member of the Israeli Knesset responded that “Obama cannot be trusted. We knew his promises were lies. The time has come to spit in the face of the Americans.” Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i ambassador to the U.N., Meron Reuben, stated that "the resolution before you should never have been submitted,...Instead, the international community and the Security Council should have called upon the Palestinian leadership, in a clear and resolute voice, to immediately return to the negotiating table.”- The Egyptian Foreign Ministry commented that "The veto, which contradicts the American public stance rejecting settlement policy, will lead to more damage to the United States' credibility on the Arab side as a mediator in peace efforts,"- Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
Ban Ki-moon
Ban Ki-moon is the eighth and current Secretary-General of the United Nations, after succeeding Kofi Annan in 2007. Before going on to be Secretary-General, Ban was a career diplomat in South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and in the United Nations. He entered diplomatic service the year he...
did not voice an opinion on the vote outcome, instead stating "The international community agrees on the urgent need for a negotiated settlement that will end the occupation that started in 1967 and establish an independent, democratic and viable Palestinian State living side by side in peace and security with Israel. We must do all we can to help the parties move forward."- The organisation which represents 57nations responded by stating that "[The veto] is a devastating blow to the credibility of international efforts to resume the peace process"
- Middle East Human Rights WatchHuman Rights WatchHuman Rights Watch is an international non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on human rights. Its headquarters are in New York City and it has offices in Berlin, Beirut, Brussels, Chicago, Geneva, Johannesburg, London, Los Angeles, Moscow, Paris, San Francisco, Tokyo,...
director Sarah Leah WhitsonSarah Leah WhitsonSarah Leah Whitson is an American human rights activist and director of the Middle East and North Africa division of Human Rights Watch.-Early life and education :Whitson was reared by a mother who was born in the Armenian quarter of Jerusalem's Old City...
, released the statement, "President Obama wants to tell the Arab world in his speeches that he opposes settlements, but he won’t let the Security Council tell Israel to stop them in a legally binding way," - Tawfik Al-Tirawi, a member of FatahFatahFataḥ is a major Palestinian political party and the largest faction of the Palestine Liberation Organization , a multi-party confederation. In Palestinian politics it is on the left-wing of the spectrum; it is mainly nationalist, although not predominantly socialist. Its official goals are found...
's Central Committee, called upon Palestinians to hold a 'day of rage' the following Friday to protest the American vetoing of the resolution.
A protest is held outside the U.S. embassy in Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv , officially Tel Aviv-Yafo , is the second most populous city in Israel, with a population of 404,400 on a land area of . The city is located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline in west-central Israel. It is the largest and most populous city in the metropolitan area of Gush Dan, with...
, Israel, the day following the vote, with approximately 50 people attending it. One protestor was reported to have stated the protest was part of "a new campaign pointing a finger at the US complicity in Israeli crimes." The following Sunday, approximately 3000 Palestinians gather in Ramallah to protest the veto.