[Peace] J Street: BREAKING: UNSC Resolution on Settlements Passes

Sat Dec 24 02:46:11 UTC 2016

Eight years too late!

On Fri, Dec 23, 2016 at 7:16 PM, Karen Aram via Peace <
peace at lists.chambana.net> wrote:

> Wow, what a man. We’re supposed to thank Obama for abstaining from
> voting?
> The man who holds the highest position in the land, the nation that
> controls the UN, the man/nation responsible for destroying Libya, and
> expanding our wars across the middle east, and he is applauded for
> abstaining?
>
>
> On Dec 23, 2016, at 11:44, Robert Naiman via Peace <
> peace at lists.chambana.net> wrote:
>
>
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> From: Jeremy Ben-Ami, J Street <info at jstreet.org>
> Date: Fri, Dec 23, 2016 at 1:30 PM
> Subject: BREAKING: UNSC Resolution on Settlements Passes
> To: "Mr. Robert Naiman" <naiman at justforeignpolicy.org>
>
>
> [image: J Street]
>
> Robert,
>
> Moments ago, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) passed a
> resolution demanding the cessation of Israeli settlement expansion in the
> West Bank, immediate steps to end terror and incitement, and reaffirming
> the international community's support for a two-state solution.
>
> President Obama, despite intense pressure to veto the resolution, made the
> bold choice to abstain and allow the resolution to pass.
>
> J Street opposes one-sided resolutions and actions in international
> organizations. The United Nations and its constituent bodies have often
> acted in a one-sided and biased manner, and J Street has repeatedly opposed
> such actions. J Street has also opposed calls to impose a solution to the
> Israeli-Palestinian conflict at the UN.
>
> The resolution that passed the Security Council today, however, is not
> one-sided. It does not seek to impose a solution on the parties. In fact,
> it explicitly calls on the parties to stop taking actions that undermine
> the chances of a two-state solution and to re-enter negotiations aimed at
> achieving peace.
>
> *We support the decision of the Obama administration to abstain, thereby
> allowing for the Security Council's vote to go forward.*
>
> We encourage people to take the time to read the actual resolution, which
> respects the interests of the State of Israel and advances the cause of a
> two-state solution so vital to maintaining Israel’s democratic and Jewish
> character. Our full statement on the importance of this resolution is
> pasted below.
>
> In addition, I hope you'll *add your name and thank President Obama
> <http://act.jstreet.org/go/5213?t=1&akid=5396.183166.YjbaeT>* for
> choosing not to veto this resolution.
>
> J Street has pushed for stronger American opposition to settlement
> expansion, and we have suggested for many years that one way to express
> that opposition is to allow passage of a resolution on that topic in the
> Security Council -- provided it is not one-sided.
>
> In the coming days, the administration will face heat for its principled
> stance. Those of us who recognize that Israel’s future as a democratic and
> Jewish state is being placed at risk by the emerging one-state reality on
> the West Bank must show our support.
>
> *Add your name to our thank you note to President Obama.
> <http://act.jstreet.org/go/5213?t=2&akid=5396.183166.YjbaeT>*
>
> Thanks,
> Jeremy
> J Street Welcomes US Abstention on UNSC Resolution
>
> J Street welcomes the decision today by the Obama administration to
> abstain from voting on a United Nations Security Council resolution which
> reaffirms the need for a two-state solution and calls for a halt to actions
> by both sides that serve to undermine the prospects for peace.
>
> The resolution is consistent with longstanding bipartisan American policy,
> which includes strong support for the two-state solution, and clear
> opposition to irresponsible and damaging actions including Palestinian
> incitement and terror and Israeli settlement expansion and home demolitions.
>
> The Israeli-Palestinian conflict can only end based on mutual agreement
> between Israelis and Palestinians, and President Obama has repeatedly
> stated his opposition to the United Nations -- or any other entity --
> imposing a binding resolution on the parties. He also has stated and
> demonstrated a commitment to vetoing UNSC resolutions that are one-sided or
> anti-Israel.
>
> Recent Congressional resolutions have reaffirmed this position. They have
> made clear that there is no US obligation to veto UNSC resolutions, like
> the one passed today, which acknowledge harmful actions, rhetoric or
> policies of both parties to the conflict. In fact, Democratic and
> Republican Presidents alike have frequently supported such UN Security
> Council resolutions on the conflict.
>
> Indeed, a Congressional resolution earlier this year joined by 64 Members
> of the House of Representatives, and supported by J Street and the
> pro-Israel, pro-peace movement, encouraged the US government to “firmly
> articulat[e] 49 years of consistent, bipartisan United States opposition to
> settlement expansion.”
>
> This resolution conveys the overwhelming support of the international
> community, including Israel’s closest friends and allies, for the two-state
> solution, and their deep concern over the deteriorating status quo between
> Israelis and Palestinians and the lack of meaningful progress toward peace.
> It is also a clear signal that the international community's patience with
> an occupation of almost 50 years has limits.
>
> Over the past few years, a major increase in settlement expansion and
> other activities that undermine the two-state solution have made clear the
> urgent need for strong US and international leadership to help preserve it,
> to remind the parties of the responsibilities and to help move them back on
> the path to a comprehensive negotiated agreement.
>
> The consistent failure of the Palestinian leadership to adequately condemn
> acts of terror against Israeli civilians, and the apparent commitment of
> the current Israeli government to expanding, entrenching and retroactively
> legalizing settlement expansion and land seizure in the West Bank, warrant
> a strong rebuke from the international community and a clear affirmation of
> the commitments that are needed from both sides. This resolution helps to
> fill that need.
>
> The overwhelming majority of American Jewish supporters of Israel continue
> to believe that the two-state solution is the only way to secure Israel’s
> future as a democratic homeland for the Jewish people, and support strong
> American leadership to help achieve that goal, even when that means
> criticizing and rebuking counter-productive actions of the Israeli
> government. Election Day 2016 polling found that 62 percent of Jewish
> voters believe the United States should either support or abstain from
> voting on a United Nations Security Council resolution calling on Israel to
> stop building settlements in the West Bank.
>
> Moving forward, J Street hopes that both Israelis and Palestinians will
> respect the sense of this resolution and take appropriate steps in
> response. President Abbas and the Palestinians must show far greater
> vigilance and seriousness in opposing and condemning acts of terror, and
> acts of incitement -- including actions at the UN that ignore Israeli
> rights and historic Jewish ties to Jerusalem and the holy sites of the
> Jewish people. Prime Minister Netanyahu and the Israelis must reverse the
> overwhelming tide of settlement expansion in the West Bank, cease home
> demolitions and expulsions of Palestinian residents, and marginalize
> prominent leaders calling for a “one-state solution,” annexation, or
> permanent occupation.
>
> We urge all actors, including the incoming US administration, to recognize
> that this resolution is now the benchmark set by the international
> community and must be respected as such. Steps to abrogate or ignore it
> would not only damage Israel’s future and the prospects for a two-state
> solution, but undermine American interests and standing in the world.
>
>
> DONATE
> <https://act.jstreet.org/donate/donate_to_jstreet/?akid=5396.183166.YjbaeT>
> [image: Facebook] <https://www.facebook.com/jstreetdotorg/> [image:
> Twitter] <https://twitter.com/jstreetdotorg>
>
>
> © 2016 J Street | www.jstreet.org
> <http://jstreet.org/?akid=5396.183166.YjbaeT> | info at jstreet.org
>
> J Street is the political home for pro-Israel, pro-peace Americans who
> want Israel to be secure, democratic and the national home of the Jewish
> people. Working in American politics and the Jewish community, we advocate
> policies that advance shared US and Israeli interests as well as Jewish and
> democratic values, leading to a two-state solution to the
> Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
>
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Peace mailing list
> Peace at lists.chambana.net
> https://lists.chambana.net/mailman/listinfo/peace
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Peace mailing list
> Peace at lists.chambana.net
> https://lists.chambana.net/mailman/listinfo/peace
>
>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.chambana.net/pipermail/peace/attachments/20161223/c04a5f29/attachment-0001.html>