88 Senators urge Obama to block UN resolutions against Israel

The vast majority of US Senators have signed a letter to President Barack Obama demanding that he continue to ensure the automatic American veto against any anti-Israel and unilateral actions by the United Nations’ Security Council (UNSC).

The bipartisan group of US Senators, 88 out of the 100, said that this course of action has been US policy for years, and that such initiatives may appear to be helpful in the beginning, while they eventually turn out to be an obstacle to obtaining true peace.

The only way to achieve true peace is through “direct negotiations that lead to a sustainable two-state solution,” they wrote.

The letter, initiated by Sen. Michael Rounds (R-SD) Sen. Kristen Gillibrand (D-NY), was presented to Obama a day before he is set to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the sidelines of the United Nations’ General Assembly in New York.

Tim Kaine, the Democratic vice presidential nominee, is one of the signatories.

In April, 394 House members, more than 90 percent of the 435 representatives, sent a letter to Obama urging him to reject any action by the UN that is biased against Israel.

The Obama administration has so far objected to diplomatic initiatives presented through the Security Council, but Israel fears that Obama will launch a last-ditch diplomatic initiative during the interim period between the elections in November and the swearing-in of the elected president in January when he will leave office.

The initiative could include a proposal submitted to the UN Security Council (UNSC) on the two-state solution, based on the pre-1967 lines, which could later serve as an opening position for future negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians.

This would severely hinder Israel’s maneuvering abilities during any upcoming negotiations.

Simultaneously, Israel is still threatened by the French diplomatic initiative, which entails indirect negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians, at least in the beginning, with international arbitration and an international resolution to pressure Israel into concessions that could hinder its security. The initiative calls for the establishment of a Palestinian state even if the Palestinians fail to conduct negotiations with Israel.

By: World Israel News Staff

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