Thank You, John Bolton
On Saturday, the UN Security Council voted on an Arab-sponsored draft resolution that sought to condemn the Israeli attack on Beit Hanoun in which civilians were killed, and urge an immediate withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza. Argentina, China, Congo, France, Ghana, Greece, Peru, Qatar, Russia and Tanzania voted in favor of the draft. Britain, Denmark, Japan and Slovakia abstained. U.S. Ambassador to the UN John Bolton cast the U.S. veto. Excerpts from his remarks appear below.
On Saturday, the UN Security Council voted on an Arab-sponsored draft resolution that sought to condemn the Israeli attack on Beit Hanoun in which civilians were killed, and urge an immediate withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza. Argentina, China, Congo, France, Ghana, Greece, Peru, Qatar, Russia and Tanzania voted in favor of the draft. Britain, Denmark, Japan and Slovakia abstained. U.S. Ambassador to the UN John Bolton cast the U.S. veto. Excerpts from his remarks appear below.
“First, we are disturbed at language in the resolution that is, in many places, biased against Israel and politically motivated… Secondly, it remains an unbalanced text. Among many such examples are the following: the preambular text equates Israeli military operations, which are legal, with firing of rockets into Israel, which are acts of terrorism. (Emphasis added) Moreover, its characterization of Israeli military actions as ‘excessive and disproportionate’ constitutes a legal judgment that the Security Council would be ill advised to make. Third, the proposed resolution calls for the establishment of a fact-finding mission that is, at this point, unnecessary and will do nothing to improve the situation on the ground. The resolution further promises to consider the establishment of an ‘international mechanism for protection of the (Palestinian) civilian population’ – a promise that is unwise and unnecessary and, at any rate, raises false hopes.
“There is not a single… condemnation of the Hamas leadership’s statement that Palestinians should resume terror attacks on a broad scale, or calls by the military wing of Hamas to Muslims worldwide to strike American targets and interests. More terror, whether directed at Israel or the United States or the European Union Office in Gaza City is not the solution, nor will it enable the Palestinian people to achieve their aspirations.
“It is the responsibility of any Palestinian Authority government to prevent terror and take the necessary steps to stop attacks and dismantle the terrorist infrastructure. Hamas has failed utterly in this regard by continuing to play a role in perpetuating instability and violence. The Palestinian people deserve leaders who are prepared to renounce terror, accept the Quartet principles, and become a legitimate partner in peace… The Road Map and the principles contained therein remain the only agreed international basis upon which to move forward towards the two-state goal.
“We call upon all members of the international community to support the Road Map unequivocally. To that end the United States will vote no on this resolution.”
It is hard to think of a clearer statement of American policy. It is hard to imagine a better representative for what we believe to be the bipartisan American understanding that Israel has the right of self-defense against Hamas’s ongoing efforts to increase its arsenal in Gaza, and inculcate Jew-hatred and the veneration of terrorism in the population.
The new Democratic-led Senate should make clear its intention to confirm Amb. Bolton to permanent status as a means of conveying American unanimity on this point.