Former Speaker Newt Gingrich on Saturday prodded Russia over its support of a United Nations resolution condemning Israeli settlements.

In a tweet, Gingrich compared the settlements to Russia’s occupation of Crimea and eastern Ukraine and quipped, “we are supposed to be impressed.”

So Russia having illegally occupied Crimea and eastern Ukraine votes to condemn Israel for "occupied lands".we are supposed to be impressed — Newt Gingrich (@newtgingrich) December 24, 2016

The U.N. Security Council on Friday passed a resolution calling the Israeli settlements a "flagrant violation" of international law with "no legal validity."

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The resolution passed 14-0 in the 15-member council. The U.S., which holds veto power and could have used it to can the measure, abstained from voting on the resolution.

The decision to abstain drew widespread backlash from Republicans and some Democrats who view support for Israel in the world body as a non-negotiable element of U.S. foreign policy.

In 2011, the Obama administration used its veto power on a similar resolution that said Israeli settlements "are illegal and constitute a major obstacle to the achievement of peace on the basis of the two-State solution."

The U.S. has mostly voted for Israel as part of a small minority in the larger General Assembly.

No country has veto powers in the General Assembly, but its resolutions don't carry as much weight and enforceability as those of the Security Council.

Russia annexed the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea in 2014. A U.S.-sponsored Security Council resolution condemning the land grab quickly ensued, but was vetoed by Russia.

A subsequent General Assembly vote declared illegal a pro-Russian referendum held in Crimea to support accession to Russia.

Also in 2014, Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine rose up against the Kiev government, following the election of President Petro Poroshenko and ousting of pro-Russian former President Viktor Yanukovich.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said in October he was "forced to support" the Russian-speaking separatists after having long denied sending Russian support and troops to fight in Ukraine.