

| WTF News |

Tuesday, the UN Security Council rejected a Palestinian resolution calling for an end to Israel’s occupation of Palestine in three years.

The resolution failed by one vote, receiving eight “yes” votes and two “no” votes with five nations not casting a vote. The 2 no votes unsurprisingly came from the United States and Australia.

France, China, Russia, Jordan, Chad, Luxemburg, Argentina and Chile voted for it.

AP

Until shortly before the vote, council diplomats had expected the resolution to get nine “yes” votes. But Nigeria, which was believed to support the resolution, abstained. Its ambassador, U. Joy Ogwu, echoed the U.S. position saying the ultimate path to peace lies “in a negotiated solution.”

Nigeria isn’t alone in failing to vote for it, Britain, Rwanda, Nigeria, Lithuania, and South Korea also abstained.

The American objection was explained by U.S. Ambassador Samantha Power, saying there needed to be a negotiated peace agreement between Israel and Palestine and should not be forced by a rigid timetable. “We voted against this resolution not because we are comfortable with the status quo,” Powers said before defending the situation. Powers then said “peace must come from hard compromises that occur at the negotiating table,” as if the process so far has been honest and productive. The resolution was reduced to a political game with Powers calling it a “staged confrontation that will not bring the parties closer” because it didn’t account for the “security concerns” of Israel.

Palestinian official Saeb Erekat said that they may return to the Security Council because 5 new members are joining in 2015 and could be more friendly to the effort. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said Wednesday that they will continue their efforts join the International Criminal Court, allowing charged to be brought against Israel for war crimes.

The pressure on Israel to end the occupation of Palestine has become more targeted as the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement grows. In Europe, Sweden voted to recognize Palestine and France passed a non-binding show of support for a Palestinian state.

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