UN condemns Israeli settlements as Obama declines to veto

[Gamle-ged]

In a striking rupture with past practice, the United States allowed the U.N. Security Council on Friday to condemn Israeli settlements in the West Bank and east Jerusalem as a "flagrant violation" of international law. In doing so, the outgoing Obama administration brushed aside Donald Trump's demands that the U.S. exercise its veto and provided a climax to years of icy relations with Israel's leadership.

The decision to abstain from the council's 14-0 vote is one of the biggest American rebukes of its longstanding ally in recent memory. And it could have significant ramifications for the Jewish state, potentially hindering Israel's negotiating position in future peace talks. Given the world's widespread opposition to settlements, the action will be almost impossible for anyone, including Trump, to reverse.

Nevertheless, Trump vowed via Twitter: "As to the U.N., things will be different after Jan. 20th."

The resolution said Israel's settlements in lands the Palestinians want to include in their future state have "no legal validity." It demanded a halt to such activities for the sake of "salvaging the two-state solution." Loud applause erupted in the council chamber after U.S. Ambassador Samantha Power permitted the resolution to pass.

http://bigstory.ap.org/article/430f1f3c6f6f404f87e90cfdb0032b1c/official-israel-turned-trump-head-un-resolution

[Fourwinds]

If I were the Israelis I'd start pushing the Palestinians into the sea as soon as Trump sat down behind the desk and threaten to shoot any blue helmet that dared step onto our soil. Is it oversimplified? Yeah probably but the UN will continue to push Israel until one or the other group is gone.

[Mr Mannn]

Obama chose to be known throughout history as an ass.
I thank God we voted in Trump.

[FlaGator]

Nothing unexpected. Obama has put the concerns of the Mohammedan's over the security of the people of the country he is President.

[nomad54]

What a Jackass-so glad he's almost done.

[FunkyZero]

I dare any sonofabitch to tell me he's not anti-American, and a saboteur of western ideology.
this traitorous bastard should be tarred and feathered, then released to those for whom he apologizes. and yes, his actions have given aid and comfort to our enemies, without doubt.

[DumbAss Tanker]

Wow, what a giant F*CK YOU to Israel, with less than a month left in this sad Administration.  I caught a little of Samantha-the-soon-to-be-jobless Powers giving her speech about the abstention at the UN, she didn't just let the resolution pass, she stuck the knife in and twisted it a few times.  In fact from the shit she was saying, it's hard to see why she didn't actually vote FOR the resolution.

[Gamle-ged]

With decades of attacks against Israel,  both actual and political, a vote to abstain in the UN on this matter is absolutely a "yes" vote that cannot be seen in any other way...