Israel expressed satisfaction yesterday after the UN Security Council failed to adopt a controversial resolution on Palestinian statehood that sough to set a 12-month deadline for reaching a final peace deal.
“Every Israeli who wants peace with our neighbors can only be satisfied with the results of this vote,” Israeli Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Tzahi HaNegbi told public radio after the resolution failed to pass.
“This deals a blow to efforts by [Palestinian President] Mahmoud Abbas to embarrass and isolate us,” said HaNegbi, a close associate of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Eight countries voted in favor, among them three of the council’s five permanent members — China, France and Russia — but it fell short of winning the nine “yes” votes necessary for adoption.
Australia and the US voted against, while five other countries abstained, including Britain.
Israeli Minister of Foreign Affair Avigdor Lieberman said Palestinian attempts to secure their long-awaited state through “unilateral” moves at the UN would never achieve anything.
He denounced the countries which backed the resolution, particularly “some European states.”
Tiny Luxembourg joined France in voting for the text.
Lieberman said any state which wants to see an end to the decades-old conflict “must act with responsibility and make clear to the Palestinians that decisions can only be taken around the negotiating table.”
Public radio said the proposal’s failure was only “a short-term victory” which would not halt international pressure for a peace deal with the Palestinians.
The Palestinians said that if the resolution failed, they would seek to join a number of international organizations, including the International Criminal Court.
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