'Israel rejects the anti-settlement resolution at the United Nations'

Fourteen out of the 15 voting members of the Council voted in favor of the resolution, none voted against it, and the United States chose to abstain instead of casting its veto on the initiative.

By JPOST.COM STAFF

DECEMBER 23, 2016 23:25

Updated: DECEMBER 25, 2016 10:19

Netanyahu: Israel to reassess UN ties after settlement vote

"Israel rejects the anti-Israel resolution at the United Nations," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Office said in a statement Friday night, calling the UN vote "shameful" and stating that Israel would not abide by it.

The Security Council is not doing anything to stop the slaughter of half a million people in Syria, instead they turn their focus on Israel, stated the Prime Minister's Office.

"The Obama administration not only failed to protect Israel against the UN's obsession with Israel, it collaborated with the UN behind Israel's back," the statement continued.

"Israel looks forward to working with President-elect Trump and with all our friends in Congress, Republicans and Democrats alike, to negate the harmful effects of this absurd resolution."

Netanyahu's spokesman to Arab media Ofir Gendelman tweeted later on Friday night that the prime minister had canceled an upcoming visit from Senegal's foreign minister to Israel, as well as Israeli aid programs to the country.

PM Netanyahu has instrcucted to cancel Senegal's foreign minister's visit to Israel and to cancel all Israeli aid programs to Senegal.
— Ofir Gendelman (@ofirgendelman) December 23, 2016

Netanyahu has instructed Israel's ambassadors in New Zealand and Senegal to return to Israel for consultations, his spokesman said on Friday, in response to a UN resolution on settlements.

The United Nations Security Council voted on Friday to adopt a resolution condemning Israeli settlement activity as illegal, and demanding that Israel "immediately and completely cease all settlement activities in the 'occupied' Palestinian territory, including east Jerusalem".

Fourteen out of the 15 voting members of the Council voted in favor of the resolution, none voted against it, and the United States chose to abstain instead of casting its veto on the initiative.

The vote was originally scheduled to take place on Thursday, but in a dramatic turn of events, Egypt, which had introduced the draft resolution, withdrew it just hours before it was due to be considered at the Security Council, as President-elect Donald Trump came out squarely against it, saying the resolution “should be vetoed.”

Danielle Ziri and Reuters contributed to this report.