Netanyahu: Obama Administration Was Behind UN Security Council Resolution

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu went on the offensive Sunday against US President Barack Obama, slamming the outgoing administration and repeating charges by other government ministers that Obama’s refusal to veto a resolution condemning Israeli building in Judea and Samaria was a final shot at Israel in the final days of his term in office.

“I share the feelings of anger and frustration of members of the government regarding an unbalanced resolution that is hostile to the State of Israel, a resolution that was passed in an inappropriate fashion by the UN Security Council,” Netanyahu said. “From the information we have, we have no doubt whatsoever that the Obama administration was behind the resolution, supported it, went over the text and demanded that it be passed. This was, of course, in complete contrast to traditional American policy, which never to tried to force conditions on Israel for a permanent status agreement… and of course an explicit commitment that Obama himself made in 2011 to refrain from moves like this.

“The governments of Israel and the United States have disagreed about settlements for decades. At the same time, we have always agreed that the UN Security Council is not the place to resolve this issue. We have known that turning to the Council would make negotiations harder and would push off peace.

As I told John Kerry on Thursday, friends don’t take friends to the Security Council. I am heartened by the statements of support from our friends around the United States, Republicans and Democrats alike. They understand that a UN decision like this is irresponsible and destructive, and that the Western Wall is not occupied territory. I expect to work with these friends and with the new administration when it takes office next month,” Netanyahu said.