CMEP Bulletin: Settlements Receive International Attention
weekly CMEP news bulletin
Settlements receive international attention
After announcing new West Bank and East Jerusalem settlement construction plans on December 5, the Benjamin Netanyahu government in Israel found itself in hot water with much of the international community. Several settlement announcements since then, including another “game changer” on Wednesday, indicate the Israeli government intends to keep taking the heat.
On November 9, the vast majority of the countries in the UN General Assembly, including all but one of EU nations, expressed impatience with the Israeli government by abstaining or voting for the Palestinian delegation to receive “non-member observer state” status in the UN. The Israeli government’s retaliatory settlement announcement did little to show them a willingness to engage in a meaningful peace process. On Wednesday, focus shifted back to the UN stage as 14 out of 15 members of the Security Council spoke out against settlement expansion.