AJC Applauds U.S. and Six Other Countries for Preventing Adoption of UN Security Council Resolution

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Dec 30, 2014, 06:11 ET

NEW YORK, Dec. 30, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- AJC praised the United States, as well as Australia and five other countries, for preventing the adoption of a UN Security Council resolution pushed by the Palestinian Authority and the Arab League. The measure "is not constructive, sets arbitrary deadlines and fails to account for Israel's security needs," the State Department said prior to the vote.

Of the 15 Security Council members, eight voted in favor, two voted against and five abstained. Thus, the resolution failed to secure the nine votes needed to pass.

"Once again, the United States stands out as a voice of clarity, courage and reason," said AJC Executive Director David Harris.

U.S. Ambassador Samantha Power chastised the Security Council after the vote for hastily convening and taking action on the Palestinian resolution without any discussion. She said this "staged confrontation" will not advance the cause of peace.

"If Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas had devoted as much time and energy to the peace talks with Israel as he has to the UN Security Council, there might have been real progress in achieving a negotiated two-state solution," said AJC Executive Director David Harris. "But, alas, he proves once again that the Palestinian leadership would rather grandstand for its constituency than move the peace process forward."

"Abbas's capacity to undermine U.S. leaders shows no bounds," said Harris. "In April, he dismissed Secretary of State John Kerry's efforts to extend the peace negotiations with Israel and instead entered into a unity partnership with Hamas. And now, he blithely disregarded Washington's appeal to hold off on UN Security Council action."

Kerry had asked Abbas on Sunday to delay the resolution. However, the 22 Arab states, some more enthusiastically than others, agreed to force a vote, and Jordan, currently a member of the Security Council, introduced the measure.

"Only direct Israeli-Palestinian talks, not another UN resolution, can bring about sustainable peace," said Harris, who also praised Australia for joining the U.S. in voting no, and Lithuania, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Korea, and the United Kingdom for abstaining.

The countries supporting the resolution were Argentina, Chad, Chile, China, France, Jordan, Luxembourg, and Russia.

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SOURCE American Jewish Committee