Politics
14:34, 04-Jan-2017
Israeli PM concerned about UN moves after planned Paris conference
Updated
10:31, 28-Jun-2018
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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Tuesday he hoped to stave off any possible moves at the United Nations Security Council against his government's policies following a Paris conference scheduled for mid-January on Middle East peace.
The Security Council on December 23 adopted a resolution that demands an end to Israeli settlement building in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem, despite heavy Israeli pressure against it.
Israeli settlements are seen under construction on Palestinian lands in Jerusalem, on December 29, 2016 a week after the UN Security Council adopted a resolution with 14 votes demanding Israel to halt settlement building and expansion in the Palestinian territories. Israel, which heavily criticized the resolution, announced to build 5,600 new houses on Palestinian territories. / CFP Photo
Israeli settlements are seen under construction on Palestinian lands in Jerusalem, on December 29, 2016 a week after the UN Security Council adopted a resolution with 14 votes demanding Israel to halt settlement building and expansion in the Palestinian territories. Israel, which heavily criticized the resolution, announced to build 5,600 new houses on Palestinian territories. / CFP Photo
France plans to convene some 70 countries on January 15 to discuss the Israeli-Palestinian peace process – a conference Netanyahu has rejected in advance as "futile".
"There are signs that they will try to turn decisions made there into another decision in the Security Council," Netanyahu said during a meeting with Israeli ambassadors in Jerusalem.
"Therefore our primary effort for now is to prevent another UN decision, another decision by the Security Council. And also to prevent a decision by the Quartet," he said, referring to the group of peace mediators that comprises the United States, Russia, the United Nations and the European Union.
Members of Orthodox Jews hold banners during a protest to celebrate the UN Security Council’s decision to condemn Israeli settlements outside the United Nations headquarters in Manhattan borough of New York City on December 28, 2016. /CFP Photo
Members of Orthodox Jews hold banners during a protest to celebrate the UN Security Council’s decision to condemn Israeli settlements outside the United Nations headquarters in Manhattan borough of New York City on December 28, 2016. /CFP Photo
"We are investing a great diplomatic effort in this," he said in broadcast remarks, without providing any details.
Netanyahu has said Israel will re-assess its ties with the United Nations following last month's resolution.
(Story by Reuters)