B’nai B’rith International is outraged that the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) adopted a resolution reiterating the erroneous position that Jewish settlements are a primary obstacle to Middle East peace. 

Today’s vote was 14 for the resolution with the United States abstaining. The countries that voted for are Angola, China, Egypt, France, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Russia, Senegal, Spain, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, Uruguay and Venezuela. 

B’nai B’rith expresses deep regret over the U.S. failure to veto this unnecessary and self-defeating resolution. Five years ago on a similar resolution, the U.S. cast a veto. This is the latest display of obscene imbalance in how the United Nations treats Israel and directly shows how deep the world body has sunk from its original mission of fairness and objectivity. 

The resolution was originally submitted by Egypt on Dec. 21, but, a day later at the country’s request, called for a deferral of the vote. New Zealand, Malaysia, Venezuela and Senegal requested that the vote occur today.  
  
This UNSC resolution sets back the peace process by further encouraging the Palestinian Authority to refuse direct negotiations with Israel—the only path to a genuine, comprehensive and lasting peace. Moreover, over the course of years, Israel already has uprooted settlements in Palestinian-claimed territories and endorsed the two-state solution, only to continue receiving incessant terrorism and extremism in return. 

B’nai B’rith International supports the State of Israel and its people, and this only further strengthens its desire to advocate against biased, absurd and patently unfair actions against Israel at the U.N.