U.N. Security Council Publicly Condemns Israel; U.S. Sole Dissenter

The momentum garnered from last month’s U.N. vote to recognize de facto statehood for Palestine continues to provide opportunities for the world to align against Israel.

The latest example of this is the fact that Russia, the EU, and 12 other members of the U.N. Security Council are now condemning Israel’s “most recent settlement expansion activities and calling for them to end.”

Moreover, while this type of call normally takes place in a closed room — “around the horse-shoe table inside [the Security Council’s] chamber” — Russia, the EU, and the 12 other members made these condemnations public. 

British Ambassador Mark Lyall Grant spoke for all members of the Security Council, except the U.S., when he told reporters, “the group strongly opposes Israel’s announced plans for 3,000 housing units in areas of the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.” He then “urged Israel to rescind its decision.”