UN Security Council Won't Focus on Israeli-Palestinian Conflict Under Nikki Haley Presidency

"For the first time in years, the United Nations Security Council will not focus its monthly open debate on the Middle East on Israel and the Palestinians, under the month-long presidency of US Ambassador Nikki Haley.

Haley, who presides over the Security Council for the month of April, told a news conference she would opt instead to push for UN peacekeeping reform and broader human rights issue, despite the opposition of some member states.

She intends to have the debate on April 20th revolve more around such issues as Iran's support for terrorism, the Syrian crisis, Hezbollah and Hamas among others, Haley said, in her remarks on Monday.

'So much has been put towards Israel and the Palestinian authority and not enough has been put towards some of these other issues," she said. "That is our goal for the Middle East open debate.'...

Israel's UN Ambassador Danny Danon said he saw Haley's presidency as a turning point for Israel.

'We've been very impressed with Ambassador Haley and her stance at the UN,' he told the Post. 'The council can be a very important body, but it needs to reorient its attention.'

'There is no doubt that the UN is on notice about the winds of change which have blown in from Washington,' Danon added. 'They are not going to tolerate an obsessive focus on Israel with so many other crises around the world.'

'Everywhere you see terror and travesties in the region, you see Iran,' he said. 'If you are going to have a periodical meeting on the situation on the Middle East, then Iran must be the main focus,' Danon said."