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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:arial,sans-serif">Gush Shalom: An international consensus - settlements are illegal and harmful<span></span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:arial,sans-serif"><span> </span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:arial,sans-serif">At the Security Council, a rare international
consensus was achieved. It was clearly and unequivocally resolved that the
establishment of settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories is an
impermissible act, contrary to International Law, and that the State of Israel must cease
immediately and completely construction and expansion of settlements. The
resolution was adopted by the votes of all Security Council Members, represent
all parts of the Earth, First World and Third World alike - Europe and North
America, South America and Africa and Asia, as well as Australia and New
Zealand (which itself shared in presenting the resolution to the vote). There
was not a single country in the entire world to speak in favor of continuing
the settlement enterprise and theft of Palestinian lands.<span></span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:arial,sans-serif"><span> </span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:arial,sans-serif">The achievement of this consensus was made
possible thanks to President Obama's decision to cease the policy of automatic
veto. It was this automatic veto which had led the Government of Israel to live
in a virtual reality and continue plunging us deeper into the abyss of
occupation, oppression and the eternal conflict with the Palestinians. It is
well Obama broke the veto policy, even if at his last moment in office.<span></span></span></b></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:arial,sans-serif">As is well known, within a month Donald Trump
is about to enter the White House. Trump’s strident voice on the subject of the
settlements was already heard out of the mouth of the manifestly undiplomatic
Ambassador to Israel which he appointed. The Israeli cabinet ministers who act
as if the Messiah has come would be well-advised to be more cautious. Linking
up the future of the State of Israel to a man who by all indications will be
one of the most controversial presidents in US history is a short-sighted and
highly dangerous policy. Trump will come, cause damage and disappear. Israel
will remain facing the worldwide opposition to the settlements.<span></span></span></b></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:arial,sans-serif">Full text of the resolution<span></span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:arial,sans-serif">Contact: Adam Keller, Gush Shalom <a href="tel:+972%2054-234-0749" value="+972542340749" target="_blank">+972-(0)54-2340749</a></span></b><b><span lang="HE" dir="RTL" style="font-family:arial,sans-serif"><span></span></span></b></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" align="right" style="text-align:right"><b><span lang="HE" dir="RTL" style="font-size:12pt;font-family:arial,sans-serif"> </span></b><b><span lang="HE" dir="RTL" style="font-family:arial,sans-serif"><span></span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span dir="LTR"></span><b><span lang="HE" style="font-size:12pt;font-family:arial,sans-serif"><span dir="LTR"></span> </span></b><b><span lang="HE" dir="RTL" style="font-family:arial,sans-serif"><span></span></span></b></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="m_3057557617402365564m_-6609750922959042897gmail-item-title"><b><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:arial,sans-serif;color:red">The full text of the United
Nations anti-settlement resolution</span></b></span><span class="m_3057557617402365564m_-6609750922959042897gmail-apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;color:black"> </span></span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:arial,sans-serif;color:black"><span></span></span></p>
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<p class="m_3057557617402365564m_-6609750922959042897gmail-articledate" style="margin:8pt 0in 0.0001pt"><span style="font-size:9pt;font-family:arial,sans-serif;color:black">24/12/16<span></span></span></p>
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<br>
<b>14 Delegations in Favour of Resolution 2334 (2016) as United States
Abstains</b></span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:arial,sans-serif;color:black"><span></span></span></p>
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<p style="margin:8pt 0in 0.0001pt"><span dir="RTL"></span><cite><span dir="RTL" style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;color:black"><span dir="RTL"></span> </span></cite><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;color:black"><span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin:8pt 0in 0.0001pt"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;color:black">“The
Security Council,<span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin:8pt 0in 0.0001pt"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;color:black">“Reaffirming
its relevant resolutions, including resolutions 242 (1967), 338 (1973), 446
(1979), 452 (1979), 465 (1980), 476 (1980), 478 (1980), 1397 (2002), 1515
(2003), and 1850 (2008),<span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin:8pt 0in 0.0001pt"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;color:black">“Guided
by the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, and
reaffirming, inter alia, the inadmissibility of the acquisition of territory by
force,<span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin:8pt 0in 0.0001pt"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;color:black">“Reaffirming
the obligation of Israel, the occupying Power, to abide scrupulously by its
legal obligations and responsibilities under the Fourth Geneva Convention
relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, of 12 August
1949, and recalling the advisory opinion rendered on 9 July 2004 by the
International Court of Justice,<span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin:8pt 0in 0.0001pt"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;color:black">“Condemning
all measures aimed at altering the demographic composition, character and
status of the Palestinian Territory occupied since 1967, including East
Jerusalem, including, inter alia, the construction and expansion of
settlements, transfer of Israeli settlers, confiscation of land, demolition of
homes and displacement of Palestinian civilians, in violation of international
humanitarian law and relevant resolutions,<span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin:8pt 0in 0.0001pt"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;color:black">“Expressing
grave concern that continuing Israeli settlement activities are dangerously
imperilling the viability of the two-State solution based on the 1967 lines,<span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin:8pt 0in 0.0001pt"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;color:black">“Recalling
the obligation under the Quartet Roadmap, endorsed by its resolution 1515
(2003), for a freeze by Israel of all settlement activity, including “natural
growth”, and the dismantlement of all settlement outposts erected since March
2001,<span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin:8pt 0in 0.0001pt"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;color:black">“Recalling
also the obligation under the Quartet roadmap for the Palestinian Authority
Security Forces to maintain effective operations aimed at confronting all those
engaged in terror and dismantling terrorist capabilities, including the
confiscation of illegal weapons,<span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin:8pt 0in 0.0001pt"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;color:black">“Condemning
all acts of violence against civilians, including acts of terror, as well as
all acts of provocation, incitement and destruction,<span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin:8pt 0in 0.0001pt"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;color:black">“Reiterating
its vision of a region where two democratic States, Israel and Palestine, live
side by side in peace within secure and recognized borders,<span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin:8pt 0in 0.0001pt"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;color:black">“Stressing
that the status quo is not sustainable and that significant steps, consistent
with the transition contemplated by prior agreements, are urgently needed in
order to (i) stabilize the situation and to reverse negative trends on the
ground, which are steadily eroding the two-State solution and entrenching a
one-State reality, and (ii) to create the conditions for successful final
status negotiations and for advancing the two-State solution through those negotiations
and on the ground,<span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin:8pt 0in 0.0001pt"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;color:black">“1.
Reaffirms that the establishment by Israel of settlements in the Palestinian
territory occupied since 1967, including East Jerusalem, has no legal validity
and constitutes a flagrant violation under international law and a major
obstacle to the achievement of the two-State solution and a just, lasting and
comprehensive peace;<span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin:8pt 0in 0.0001pt"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;color:black">“2.
Reiterates its demand that Israel immediately and completely cease all
settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East
Jerusalem, and that it fully respect all of its legal obligations in this
regard;<span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin:8pt 0in 0.0001pt"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;color:black">“3.
Underlines that it will not recognize any changes to the 4 June 1967 lines,
including with regard to Jerusalem, other than those agreed by the parties
through negotiations;<span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin:8pt 0in 0.0001pt"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;color:black">“4.
Stresses that the cessation of all Israeli settlement activities is essential
for salvaging the two-State solution, and calls for affirmative steps to be
taken immediately to reverse the negative trends on the ground that are
imperilling the two-State solution;<span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin:8pt 0in 0.0001pt"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;color:black">“5.
Calls upon all States, bearing in mind paragraph 1 of this resolution, to
distinguish, in their relevant dealings, between the territory of the State of
Israel and the territories occupied since 1967;<span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin:8pt 0in 0.0001pt"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;color:black">“6.
Calls for immediate steps to prevent all acts of violence against civilians,
including acts of terror, as well as all acts of provocation and destruction,
calls for accountability in this regard, and calls for compliance with
obligations under international law for the strengthening of ongoing efforts to
combat terrorism, including through existing security coordination, and to
clearly condemn all acts of terrorism;<span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin:8pt 0in 0.0001pt"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;color:black">“7.
Calls upon both parties to act on the basis of international law, including
international humanitarian law, and their previous agreements and obligations,
to observe calm and restraint, and to refrain from provocative actions,
incitement and inflammatory rhetoric, with the aim, inter alia, of
de-escalating the situation on the ground, rebuilding trust and confidence,
demonstrating through policies and actions a genuine commitment to the
two-State solution, and creating the conditions necessary for promoting peace;<span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin:8pt 0in 0.0001pt"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;color:black">“8.
Calls upon all parties to continue, in the interest of the promotion of peace
and security, to exert collective efforts to launch credible negotiations on
all final status issues in the Middle East peace process and within the time
frame specified by the Quartet in its statement of 21 September 2010;<span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin:8pt 0in 0.0001pt"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;color:black">“9.
Urges in this regard the intensification and acceleration of international and
regional diplomatic efforts and support aimed at achieving, without delay a
comprehensive, just and lasting peace in the Middle East on the basis of the
relevant United Nations resolutions, the Madrid terms of reference, including
the principle of land for peace, the Arab Peace Initiative and the Quartet
Roadmap and an end to the Israeli occupation that began in 1967; and
underscores in this regard the importance of the ongoing efforts to advance the
Arab Peace Initiative, the initiative of France for the convening of an
international peace conference, the recent efforts of the Quartet, as well as
the efforts of Egypt and the Russian Federation;<span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin:8pt 0in 0.0001pt"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;color:black">“10.
Confirms its determination to support the parties throughout the negotiations
and in the implementation of an agreement;<span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin:8pt 0in 0.0001pt"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;color:black">“11.
Reaffirms its determination to examine practical ways and means to secure the
full implementation of its relevant resolutions;<span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin:8pt 0in 0.0001pt"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;color:black">“12.
Requests the Secretary-General to report to the Council every three months on
the implementation of the provisions of the present resolution;<span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin:8pt 0in 0.0001pt"><span style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;color:black">“13.
Decides to remain seized of the matter.”<span></span></span></p></div>
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