Schumer says US should have vetoed UN anti-settlement resolution

US Senate Democratic minority leader Chuck Schumer tells the AIPAC Policy Conference that the United States, under the Obama administration, was wrong to abstain from a UN resolution criticizing Israeli settlements.

“Maybe someday the UN will become fair to Israel but until that day comes the United States must always come the aid of our friend Israel at the UN,” he tells the annual gathering.

“We cannot be silent when the UN singles out Israel for condemnation. We cannot let the UN impose terms on negotiations with the Palestinians ever. The United States should have vetoed Resolution 2334 in December and it should never, ever use the UN as a forum to put pressure on Israel for any kind of agreement,” he says.

The December 23 resolution condemned Israeli settlements in the West Bank and neighborhoods in East Jerusalem as a “flagrant violation” of international law. The United States abstained from the vote, effectively allowing it to pass by refraining for using its veto power.

“Resolving the age-old Israeli Palestinian conflict is no simple task my friends but peace will never come from the UN, peace will come from direct negotiations,” Schumer adds.