Israel recalls NZ Ambassador

Audrey Young reports:

The Israeli Government has recalled its ambassador from New Zealand after the UN Security Council passed a resolution condemning Israel’s continued settlements.

New Zealand co-sponsored the resolution, which said the settlements violate international law and undermine a two-state solution in Israel’s conflict with Palestine.

The resolution was passed 14-0 at the last council meeting of the year, and New Zealand’s last meeting in its two-year term as an elected member of the Security Council.

I have mixed feelings on this. On the substance I don’t support Israel building settlements in the occupied territories. They just make a peace settlement way more difficult. An eventual peace settlement won’t be on the exact 1967 borders but comprise an equivalent area. However the more settlements there are the less flexibility there is on what those areas will be, and the harder an agreement is.

However the UN has a terrible bias against Israel and a history of passing resolutions that only call for action by Israel, and nothing from the Palestinians. So it is regrettable this resolution followed that path also.