(New York Times) Neil MacFarquhar - The Obama administration vetoed a UN Security Council resolution on Friday condemning Israeli settlement building as illegal. Among the 15 members of the Council, only the U.S. voted no. American UN Ambassador Susan E. Rice said the veto should not be misconstrued as American support for further settlement construction, which the U.S. opposes. The issue should be resolved through peace negotiations, she said, and not mandated by a binding resolution. Ambassador Meron Reuben of Israel said settlements had to be negotiated directly between the Israelis and the Palestinians. He also questioned whether the Council should be discussing the issue now given that the political changes sweeping the Middle East seem more important.
2011-02-21 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive