What happened today is that the United States
joined the jackals at the U.N. That was a phrase used by Pat Moynihan, the
great Democratic senator, the former U.S. ambassador who spoke for the United
States standing up in the U.N. and to resist this kind of disgrace. To give you an idea of how appalling this resolution is, it
declares that any Jew who lives in the Jewish quarter of Jerusalem, the Jewish
quarter, inhabited for 1,000 years, is illegal, breaking international law,
essentially an outlaw, can be hauled into the international criminal court and
international courts in Europe, which is one of the consequences. The Jewish
quarter has been populated by Jews for 1,000 years. In the war of Independence in 1948, the Arabs invaded
Israel to wipe it out. They did not succeed, but the Arab Legion succeeded in
conquering the Jewish quarter. They expelled all the Jews. They destroyed all
the synagogues and all the homes. For 19 years, no Jew could go there. The
Israelis got it back in the Six-Day War. Now it’s declared that this is not
Jewish territory. Remember, it’s called “the Jewish quarter,” but it belongs to
other people. And any Jew who lives there is an
outlaw. That’s exactly what we supported. The
resolution is explicit in saying settlements in the occupied territories and in
east Jerusalem.
In 2012, running for re-election, Obama spoke
at the meeting of AIPAC, the big Jewish lobby. He said, “Is there any doubt
that I have Israel’s back?” That’s why he didn’t want do it while he was in office.
That’s why he didn’t want to do it in 2016 so it would injure Hillary and show
to particularly American Jews, who tend to be Democratic, that it was all a
farce. He does it on the way out, and that’s part of why it’s so disgraceful.
He didn’t even — he hid it until there would be no consequence. Now he is out
the door and the damage is done for years. That resolution cannot be undone.
The full text of Resolution 2334 (2016) reads as follows:
“The Security Council,
“Reaffirming its relevant resolutions, including
resolutions 242 (1967), 338 (1973), 446 (1979), 452 (1979), 465 (1980), 476 (1980), 478 (1980), 1397 (2002), 1515 (2003), and 1850 (2008),
“Guided by
the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, and
reaffirming, inter
alia, the inadmissibility of the acquisition of territory by force,
“Reaffirming the obligation of Israel, the
occupying Power, to abide scrupulously by its legal obligations and
responsibilities under the Fourth Geneva Convention relative to the Protection
of Civilian Persons in Time of War, of 12 August 1949, and recalling the advisory opinion rendered on 9
July 2004 by the International Court of Justice,
“Condemning all measures aimed at altering the demographic
composition, character and status of the Palestinian Territory occupied since
1967, including East Jerusalem, including, inter
alia, the construction and expansion of settlements, transfer of
Israeli settlers, confiscation of land, demolition of homes and displacement of
Palestinian civilians, in violation of international humanitarian law and
relevant resolutions,
“Expressing grave concern that continuing Israeli
settlement activities are dangerously imperilling the viability of the
two-State solution based on the 1967 lines,
“Recalling the obligation under the Quartet
Roadmap, endorsed by its resolution 1515 (2003), for a freeze by Israel of all
settlement activity, including “natural growth”, and the dismantlement of all
settlement outposts erected since March 2001,
“Recalling also the obligation under the Quartet
roadmap for the Palestinian Authority Security Forces to maintain effective
operations aimed at confronting all those engaged in terror and dismantling
terrorist capabilities, including the confiscation of illegal weapons,
“Condemning all acts of violence against
civilians, including acts of terror, as well as all acts of provocation,
incitement and destruction,
“Reiterating its vision of a region where two
democratic States, Israel and Palestine, live side by side in peace within
secure and recognized borders,
“Stressing that the status quo is not sustainable
and that significant steps, consistent with the transition contemplated by
prior agreements, are urgently needed in order to (i) stabilize the situation
and to reverse negative trends on the ground, which are steadily eroding the
two-State solution and entrenching a one-State reality, and (ii) to create the
conditions for successful final status negotiations and for advancing the
two-State solution through those negotiations and on the ground,
“1. Reaffirms that the establishment by Israel of
settlements in the Palestinian territory occupied since 1967, including East Jerusalem,
has no legal validity and constitutes a flagrant violation under international
law and a major obstacle to the achievement of the two-State solution and a
just, lasting and comprehensive peace;
“2. Reiterates its demand that Israel immediately and
completely cease all settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian
territory, including East Jerusalem, and that it fully respect all of its legal
obligations in this regard;
“3. Underlines that it will not recognize any changes
to the 4 June 1967 lines, including with regard to Jerusalem, other than those
agreed by the parties through negotiations;
“4. Stresses that the cessation of all Israeli
settlement activities is essential for salvaging the two-State solution, and
calls for affirmative steps to be taken immediately to reverse the negative
trends on the ground that are imperilling the two-State solution;
“5. Calls upon all States, bearing in mind
paragraph 1 of this resolution, to distinguish, in their relevant dealings,
between the territory of the State of Israel and the territories occupied since
1967;
“6. Calls for immediate steps to prevent all
acts of violence against civilians, including acts of terror, as well as all
acts of provocation and destruction, calls for accountability in this regard,
and calls for compliance with obligations under international law for the
strengthening of ongoing efforts to combat terrorism, including through
existing security coordination, and to clearly condemn all acts of terrorism;
“7. Calls
upon both parties to
act on the basis of international law, including international humanitarian
law, and their previous agreements and obligations, to observe calm and
restraint, and to refrain from provocative actions, incitement and inflammatory
rhetoric, with the aim, inter
alia, of de-escalating the situation on the ground, rebuilding
trust and confidence, demonstrating through policies and actions a genuine
commitment to the two-State solution, and creating the conditions necessary for
promoting peace;
“8. Calls
upon all parties to
continue, in the interest of the promotion of peace and security, to exert
collective efforts to launch credible negotiations on all final status issues
in the Middle East peace process and within the time frame specified by the
Quartet in its statement of 21 September 2010;
“9. Urges
in this regard the
intensification and acceleration of international and regional diplomatic
efforts and support aimed at achieving, without delay a comprehensive, just and
lasting peace in the Middle East on the basis of the relevant United Nations
resolutions, the Madrid terms of reference, including the principle of land for
peace, the Arab Peace Initiative and the Quartet Roadmap and an end to the
Israeli occupation that began in 1967; and underscores in this regard the importance of the
ongoing efforts to advance the Arab Peace Initiative, the initiative of France
for the convening of an international peace conference, the recent efforts of
the Quartet, as well as the efforts of Egypt and the Russian Federation;
“10. Confirms
its determination to
support the parties throughout the negotiations and in the implementation of an
agreement;
“11. Reaffirms its determination to examine practical
ways and means to secure the full implementation of its relevant resolutions;
“12. Requests the Secretary-General to report to the
Council every three months on the implementation of the provisions of the
present resolution;
“13. Decides to remain seized of the matter.”
