PA Ignores Obama, Seeks UN Condemnation of Israel

The Palestinian Authority is seeking international condemnation of Israel, despite the Obama administration's attempts to discourage the move. PA and Arab leaders have submitted a request to the United Nations Security Council to vote Friday to condemn Israel for allowing Jews to build homes within Jewish cities in Judea and Samaria.

The resolution would condemn construction for Judea and Samaria Jews as “illegal” and “a major obstacle to peace.” In addition, it would state that the UN is prepared to send envoys to the region “to examine the realities on the ground.”

The PA and the Arab world claim Judea and Samaria as part of a future Arab state.

United States officials say they will oppose the resolution, but agree with the call to condemn Judea and Samaria construction. They reportedly suggested to the PA that the Security Council issue a non-binding statement opposing construction, instead of a resolution.

PA officials rejected the compromise, and announced Thursday that Arab leaders had submitted the proposed resolution.


U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Thursday that a Security Council resolution was “not the right vehicle” for advancing the diplomatic process. “Our focus is on doing what is best to advance negotiations between the parties that will lead to a two-state solution,” she said.

Judea and Samaria were home to both Arabs and Jews prior to the 1948 War of Independence. Following the war the areas were under Jordanian rule for 19 years, then were retaken by Israel in the 1967 Six Day War. Jews began making their way back to the region to live shortly afterward, beginning by resettling formerly Jewish towns such as Efrat and Hevron, then branching out to build new towns as well.

For the past several years, Jews have been permitted to build only within the limits of existing Israeli towns, meaning the total amount of land controlled by Israel within the region remains unchanged despite construction. However, the PA continues to claim that Israeli construction constitutes a land grab in the region.

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu previously froze construction for Judea and Samaria Jews for 10 months, in a first-of-its-kind attempt to lure PA leaders to the negotiating table. PA leaders ignored his gesture for nine months, then agreed to negotiations only to drop out one month later over Netanyahu's refusal to extend the freeze.

Netanyahu later expressed willingness to announce a second freeze after U.S. officials promised that in exchange, Israel would not be pressured to sign a deal with the PA within three months, and would not be pushed into a third construction freeze. However, Clinton later informed Netanyahu that the promises had been offered without Obama's approval and in the end would not materialize, and the deal fell through.