Some Comments By US Leaders and Others on the UN Resolution

The resolution that passed the UN Security Council yesterday was originally going to be put up for a vote the day before. Egypt, which had put the resolution up for a vote, withdrew the measure before any vote could be taken. It was said that Israel pressured Egypt to withdraw the resolution. More likely, however, Egypt acted based on a telephone call between Egyptian President al-Sisi and US President-Elect Donald Trump. Al-Sisi has not been on good terms with Obama, because, as head of the military he overthrew the elected government of the Muslim Brotherhood, a terrorist group supported by Obama. Presumably, al-Sisi wanted a better relationship with Trump. Trump had Tweeted that the proposed resolution should be vetoed.

Unfortunately, the next day - yesterday - Senegal and New Zealand returned the measure to the Council for a vote. Voting for the measure were the UK, France, Russia, China, New Zealand, Senegal, Venezuela, Malaysia, Uruguay, Angola, Egypt, Japan, Spain and the Ukraine. The US, which had the power to veto the measure, abstained. Following the vote, Trump Tweeted: "As to the U.N., things will be different after Jan. 20th."

Republican Speaker of the House, Paul Ryan, called approval of the resolution "absolutely shameful." Added Ryan: "Today's vote is a blow to peace that sets a dangerous precedent for further diplomatic efforts to isolate and demonize Israel." Ryan: "Our united Republican government will work to reverse the damage done by this administration, and rebuild our alliance with Israel."

Ironically, US Ambassador to the UN Samantha Power, in a speech justifying the US abstention, said this: "For the simple truth is that for as long as Israel has been a member of this institution, Israel has been treated differently from other nations at the United Nations." As Israel was admitted to the UN in 1949, this means that the UN has shown their anti-Semitic bias long before Israel controlled the West Bank beginning in 1967. Power went on to note that in September, 2016 alone the UN General Assembly passed 18 anti-Israel measures. In 2016 the UN Human Rights Council passed 12 anti-Israel measures - "more than those focused on Syria, North Korea, Iran and South Sudan put together," per Powers. But neither Obama nor Kerry nor Power apparently saw the irony in the US then supporting yet another anti-Semitic anti-Israel measure.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said this: "At a time when the Security Council does nothing to stop the slaughter of half a million people in Syria, it disgracefully gangs up on the one true democracy in the Middle East, Israel, and calls the Western Wall 'occupied territory.'"

Former US Ambassador to the UN, John Bolton, said it best (as he usually does): "This was a stab in the back against the Israelis. It was entirely predictable. I would say this, for people in the pro-Israel community in the United States who defended Obama's Middle East policy over these last eight years - you should have seen this coming...this is what you get for supporting Barack Obama." I take no joy in the fact that, along with some conservative friends, I did see this coming. What prevented so many in the Jewish community from seeing?

So, now the question is - what should the Trump Administration and the Republican Congress do after January 20th? First, I want to say that, notwithstanding any misgivings I may have had about Trump (even though I voted for him) I thank G-d that he won. I do not believe Hillary would have done anything to try to counter the effects of the UN resolution, and likely would have vetoed bills trying to reverse the damage done to Israel. I also thank G-d that the Republicans control Congress and that Paul Ryan is the Speaker.

Here is my wish list. I would like to see the US withhold all further funding from the UN until such time as the Security Council votes to overturn this measure. I would like to see the US immediately cease any and all funding to the Palestinian Authority. And I would like to see President Trump declare to the world that the United States has no intention of complying with this measure. Lastly, I would hope that President Trump declares to the world that any military attack on any land controlled by Israel will be considered an attack on the United States. Israelis have never requested that, confident in their abilities to defend themselves. But such a statement of solidarity with Israel from the world's superpower would do much to deter those who might seek to ignite yet another Middle Eastern war in yet another effort to wipe Israel off the map. And it would make it very clear that there is only way towards peace.