12-28-2016, 10:48 PM
(12-23-2016, 01:20 PM)Dill Wrote: I agree, but it's too late. Egypt has already withdrawn it.
The US under Obama has agreed with the rest of the world that the settlements are a violation of international law, but nevertheless vetoed the condemnation resolution in 2011, on the ground that it would hamper, not help the peace process.
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=37572#.WF1MyWwixMs
Trump's choice of ambassador and his intervention in Obama's foreign policy while Obama is president apparently signal Trump will abandon any pretense to peace broker here.
If the US abandons all pretense to being an impartial peace broker, then US foreign policy in the Middle East will be henceforward viewed by regional powers as an extension of Israeli policy. Probably the rest of the world will see it that way as well, since only the US is blocking the vote.
This raises the potential for instability and blowback--and unnecessarily, I think.
Certainly not going to help Trump bomb the shit out of ISIS. If there is one thing our Arab allies in the fight against ISIS hate more than ISIS, it is Israel. Quickly followed by supporters of Israel and new Israeli settlements.
