Untitled - orsam

“One only had to hear the Syrian
representative speak today about human
rights in order to understand how
detached from reality the council is,” he
added in the statement.
But the Palestinians welcomed the
resolution as a “new victory.”
“The new international decision is a new
victory for the Palestinian cause,” said
Nabil Abu Rudeina, the spokesman of
president Mahmoud Abbas.
“This position sends a message from the
international community to Israel that
settlements are illegal and must totally
stop,” he told AFP.
Presenting the resolution, a Pakistani
envoy criticized Israel for insisting on
building more settlements in the occupied
territories, saying that they are “in
violation of international humanitarian
and human rights laws.”
“This resolution seeks to respond to the
humanitarian and human rights challenges
this illegal Israeli practice has created in
the occupied territories,” he said.
Beyond ordering an investigation into the
implications of settlements, the resolution
also calls on Israel to “take and implement
serious measures” such as confiscating
arms to prevent acts of violence by Israeli
settlers.
Condemning Israel’s announcements of
new settlement homes, it demanded a
reversal of the policy.
But the United States spoke up against the
move, saying it was “deeply troubled by
this Council’s bias against Israel.”
“Steps like this do nothing to promote a
just and lasting peace,” said a U.S. envoy,
adding that they only serve to “push
parties apart.”
Israel’s envoy also challenged the
resolution, one of several against the
country.
“Many of the speakers today and in many
other occasions in this room repeatedly
emphasize the ideals of non-partiality,
non-selectivity, non-politicization,” said
the envoy.
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