Better late than never.

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2016 was a nasty year, but just before it’s end, The UN’s Security Council brings a smile and some satisfaction. By a 14-0 vote and the abstention of the USA, they passed resolution 2334, condemning Israel’s illegal settlements in the occupied territories.

For years, The US has been the and still is the great enabler of the Israeli occupation. With its funding of Israel to the tune of $3.8 billion per annum, the Obama administration has failed to make use of the leverage, which the US could have to bring about a peace settlement in the Middle East.  At the end of his presidency, Obama – who has finally agreed not to veto a Security Council decision censuring Israel – is showing his frustration, disappointment and disgust of the way Israel has been behaving.

It is a great shame that this has come so late and, indeed, it may have come too late – with all the damage caused by the Israeli occupation – but, better late than never.  

To the current members of the Security Council: Well done and thank you: China, Russia, UK, France, and Japan, New Zealand, Spain, Uruguay, as well as Senegal, Venezuela, Angola, Ukraine, Malaysia, and Egypt.

Say YES to UN observers in Jerusalem

The 1947 UN Partition Plan for Palestine foresaw a special status for the greater Jerusalem area, as a corpus separatum, under a special international regime and administered by the United Nations. Unfortunately, this resolution was never implemented.

Now, because of the current tension in Jerusalem, France is promoting a plan to deploy international observers at Jerusalem’s Temple Mount.

Sounds like a good idea to me. But, Israel objects.

Having one-sidedly annexed East Jerusalem, Israel wants to avoid any act that might question its self-declared sovereignty over the city that contains sites holy to all three monotheistic religions. Sadly, the US will side with Israel on this matter and thereby prevent the necessary Security Council resolution.