NEW YORK (Press Release)– The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) on Friday expressed appreciation to the United States for vetoing the “fundamentally flawed” U.N. Security Council resolution on Israeli settlements and for making clear to the Palestinian Authority that the only route to peace is through direct negotiations with Israel.
Abraham H. Foxman, ADL National Director, issued the following statement:
“We express our strong appreciation to the United States for its forceful action in vetoing this resolution. The Obama Administration has made clear to the Palestinian Authority that it will not be a party to its efforts to avoid direct negotiations with Israel. We hope the Palestinians will now buckle down and return to direct talks with Israel.
“With its undue focus on Israeli settlements, while failing to refer to other difficult and complicated issues in Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the resolution was fundamentally flawed. Indeed, actions related to settlements are stated as ‘demands,’ whereas, the parties are merely ‘called on’ to take other action to promote the peace process.
The National Jewish Democratic Council: Chair Marc R. Stanley and President and CEO David A. Harris jointly issued the following statement: “On behalf of the National Jewish Democratic Council, we applaud the action this afternoon of President Barack Obama and his representative, the U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Susan Rice. Once again, after days of unfortunate and unproductive speculation, our President stood alongside our democratic ally Israel in the Israel-obsessed United Nations. We know just how hard this decision was, as any outcome of a vote on this resolution is truly unfortunate – including for Israel. Permitting today’s vote against Israel to proceed, the path President Obama and his Administration wouldn’t take, was clearly, understandably and correctly not an acceptable choice for them. But today’s outcome has deeply negative fallout as well. From further isolating the United States within the Security Council to potentially further inserting anti-Israel sentiment into the awakening of democratic fervor throughout the Arab world, and in so many other ways, this vote to stand by Israel does have negative consequences. And therein lies the heart and mind of this President and this Administration. Throughout, and well beyond recent days, the President and his team have worked night and day on behalf of the critical U.S.-Israel relationship and with Israel’s needs at heart. On all sides of this complex calculus, this Administration has clearly heavily weighed Israel’s best interests. We, like all Americans who hold dear the special U.S.-Israel relationship, owe President Obama and his Administration our deep collective appreciation for his stalwart support for the State of Israel – today and always.”
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Preceding provided by the Anti-Defamation League, National Jewish Democratic Council