In this Dec. 11, 2016, file photo, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends the weekly cabinet meeting at his office in Jerusalem. Netanyahu lashed out at President Barack Obama on Saturday, Dec. 24, accusing him of a 鈥渟hameful ambush鈥� at the United Nations over West Bank settlements and saying he is looking forward to working with his 鈥渇riend鈥� President-elect Donald Trump. Netanyahu鈥檚 comments came a day after the United States broke with past practice and allowed the U.N. Security Council to condemn Israeli settlements in the West Bank and east Jerusalem as a 鈥渇lagrant violation鈥� of international law. Pool via AP
JERUSALEM鈥� Israel鈥檚 prime minister lashed out at President Barack Obama on Saturday, accusing him of a 鈥渟hameful ambush鈥� at the United Nations over West Bank settlements and saying he is looking forward to working with his 鈥渇riend鈥� President-elect Donald Trump.
Benjamin Netanyahu鈥檚 comments came a day after the United States broke with past practice and allowed the U.N. Security Council to condemn Israeli settlements in the West Bank and east Jerusalem as a 鈥渇lagrant violation鈥� of international law.
Although the U.S. opposes the settlements, it has traditionally used its veto power as a permanent member of the Security Council to block resolutions condemning Israel, saying that disputes between Israel and the Palestinians must be resolved through negotiations.
Welcomed by the Palestinians, the resolution, while mostly symbolic, could hinder Israel鈥檚 negotiating position in future peace talks.
Trump also condemned the U.N. vote Saturday, taking to Twitter to say it 鈥渨ill make it much harder to negotiate peace.鈥� But, he added, 鈥渨e will get it done anyway.鈥�
A year ago, Trump told The Associated Press that he wanted to be 鈥渧ery neutral鈥� on Israel-Palestinian issues, but his comments became much more pro-Israel as the race progressed and he took a sharp tone against the Palestinians.
Netanyahu said the U.S abstention was 鈥渋n complete contrast鈥� to U.S. commitments鈥攊ncluding one that he said Obama made in 2011鈥攏ot to impose conditions for a final agreement on Israel at the Security Council. 鈥淭he Obama administration conducted a shameful anti-Israel ambush at the U.N.,鈥� Netanyahu said.
The U.S. and much of the international community consider Israel鈥檚 settlements in the West Bank and east Jerusalem as an obstacle to peace. Netanyahu rejects such claims, blaming the failure of peace efforts on the Palestinian refusal to recognize Israel鈥檚 Jewish identity.
The decision to abstain from vote was one of the biggest American rebukes of its long-standing ally in recent memory and marked a final chapter in the icy relations between Netanyahu and Obama over the last eight years.
Netanyahu called the decision 鈥渄istorted鈥� but said Israel will overcome it.
He said he had spoken with U.S leaders, both Democrats and Republicans, who vowed to fight the move, including he said, from Israel鈥檚 鈥渇riend鈥� in the incoming administration, the president-elect.
鈥淭he decision taken at the U.N. yesterday was part of the swan song of the old world biased against Israel,鈥� Netanyahu said. 鈥淲e are entering a new era and as the President-elect Trump said yesterday, this is going to happen much quicker than people think. In this new era there is a high price for those trying to harm Israel,鈥� he said.
RELATED STORIES