Donald Trump Must Not Join the Jackals

"In his biting article in Commentary on February 1, 1981, Daniel P. Moynihan, former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, 1975-76, was critical of his successor, Donald F. McHenry, for not voting against a U.N. Security Council resolution strongly critical of Israel. The United States had 'joined the jackals.' Moynihan remarked that for the U.S. to abstain on a UNSC resolution concerning Israel was the equivalent of acquiescing in it.

Thirty-five years later, with the abstention of the U.S. in allowing UNSC Resolution 2334 to pass, the question must be posed: has the Obama administration in its final days joined the jackals?...

On December 23, 2016, the Security Council adopted by 14-0 and one abstention (the United States) Resolution 2334, which strongly condemned Israeli settlement construction...

Resolution 2334 was passed under chapter 6, not chapter 7 of the U.N. Charter and thus cannot be forced on Israel. It does not make law, but is a recommendation. But it is an obstacle to the required objective – peaceful negotiations of final status arrangements – because it bypasses the necessary negotiating process. It is unhelpful because it is eager to make policy, such as holding that the status quo about Israel-Palestine is not sustainable. The resolution implies that Israel has no claim to any of the territories occupied since 1967. However, it ignores international agreements. The Oslo Accords make no reference to '1967 lines,' and so Resolution 2334 prejudges the outcome of any negotiations...

Trump has asserted that things at the U.N. will be different after January 20, 2016. He must ensure that the United States never again join the jackals regarding Israel as on all other matters."