U.N. Passes Resolution Against Israel Settlements, U.S. Abstains

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

That's disgusting. The settlements are reprehensible.

Ordinary villages in which people build houses and live with their families are reprehensible, just because it's Jews living there? Antisemitism 101, and one day the world will understand the insane freakout over SETTLEMENTS is just that.

Or not. It's not as if I care much, because we will keep building until Mashiach comes anyway.

I can speak only for myself, and what I find reprehensible is when erecting such settlements is being done at cost of innocent people that are not Jews. I don't think you'd be thrilled about an Arab power forcing its way to build their own settlements on the Israeli soil.

And you'll be bloody right not to be happy about your homeland being colonized. But Palestinians also have their homeland.

I'm proud of a part of me that is of Jewish descent and I've always opposed idiots that would like to see Israel destroyed or left defenseless. If you want to call me an antisemite because I don't condone this particular policy you're free to do so. I see this policy as something fundamentally against the very idea of Jewish state formed, in a large part, in response to the horrors of the World War II. And no, I abhor morons making direct comparisons between the Israelis and the Nazis (this post being particulary tasteless), but I think Israel should be better than this.

[Associate Justice PiT]

Also the whole it's the Jew's country, the Palestinians aren't Arab immigrants, they're descendant of the population who have lived in the area since the agricultural revolution, whatever these people called themselves, they have of course had a influx of genes from other groups. But they're more related to the Jews of Biblical times than most Jews are.

Good thing we don't customarily delineate cultural and political lines of descent based on genetics. Give me a break.

     In fairness, the descent line is a big part of the approach to the issue adopted by the Israelis.

[Green Line]

It's sad to see Israel committing political suicide with their closest ally, all over a non-binding resolution.  If Bibi had shown any interest at all in the two state solution aside from the faintest lip service, maybe we'd not be in this situation.  And to throw all his marbles in with Trump, who EVERYONE knows is untrustworthy and doesn't really give a **** about Israel, is incredibly short sighted.  

Regardless, it's becoming obvious that the 2 state solution is basically dead.  Israel has no interest in removing most of the settlements theyve illegally built.  Like Kerry said today, with a 1 state solution it either wont be Jewish or it wont be Democratic, and it seems pretty clear where many Israelis are comfortable siding on that one.

Hope im wrong!

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

Also the whole it's the Jew's country, the Palestinians aren't Arab immigrants, they're descendant of the population who have lived in the area since the agricultural revolution, whatever these people called themselves, they have of course had a influx of genes from other groups. But they're more related to the Jews of Biblical times than most Jews are.

Good thing we don't customarily delineate cultural and political lines of descent based on genetics. Give me a break.

     In fairness, the descent line is a big part of the approach to the issue adopted by the Israelis.

Yeah, but from what I've seen generally the approach is through normal, good old-fashioned, low-tech genealogy, rather than through creepy hand-wringing about whose genome is most similar to that in some bone dug up in a tel.

Regardless, it's shameful that the United Nations finds all this time to pass these countless dozens of resolutions about big bad Israel, but only rarely does anything censuring countries like Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states manage to wend its way through. Or North Korea, or Eritrea, or China or Russia or Duterte's Philippines or Iran for that matter.

[Blue3]

Can someone please answer my question above?

[DavidB.]

Can someone please answer my question above?

14 countries voted for it, the US abstained and 0 voted against it.

[Blue3]

Can someone please answer my question above?

14 countries voted for it, the US abstained and 0 voted against it.

Thank you. None even joined the US in abstaining.

But of course, Netanyahu is lashing out at Obama, not questioning why basically every country in the world feels this way (though he'll have an ally in Trump again, it's not like the US is unanimous on Israel).

[DavidB.]

Can someone please answer my question above?

14 countries voted for it, the US abstained and 0 voted against it.

Thank you. None even joined the US in abstaining.

The U.S. lobbied with countries (Ukraine, NZ are already confirmed) in order to have them vote yes, so that's why.

[Blue3]

Can someone please answer my question above?

14 countries voted for it, the US abstained and 0 voted against it.

Thank you. None even joined the US in abstaining.

The U.S. lobbied with countries (Ukraine, NZ are already confirmed) in order to have them vote yes, so that's why.

And Israel lobbied the other way. Those countries made their decisions.

[DavidB.]

And Israel lobbied the other way. Those countries made their decisions.

Just like the U.S. made its decision for Donald Trump, who will be amazing for Israel. Thank you & enjoy the next eight years!

Next summer I'll be building houses in the newest, freshest outposts again anyway, probably with the support of the U.S. administration. Cry moar, Obama!

[Blue3]

Yes, the US did make the decision for Trump.

[America Needs R'hllor]

And Israel lobbied the other way. Those countries made their decisions.

Just like the U.S. made its decision for Donald Trump, who will be amazing for Israel. Thank you & enjoy the next eight years!

Next summer I'll be building houses in the newest, freshest outposts again anyway, probably with the support of the U.S. administration. Cry moar, Obama!

Don't be so sure he'll look at it the same way when he actually takes office. Remember, George Bush opposed tge settlements. His father and Ronald Reagan fiercely opposed the settlements. Trump is unpredictable- you can't be entirely sure  what he'll do.

[ingemann]

Also the whole it's the Jew's country, the Palestinians aren't Arab immigrants, they're descendant of the population who have lived in the area since the agricultural revolution, whatever these people called themselves, they have of course had a influx of genes from other groups. But they're more related to the Jews of Biblical times than most Jews are.

Good thing we don't customarily delineate cultural and political lines of descent based on genetics. Give me a break.

     In fairness, the descent line is a big part of the approach to the issue adopted by the Israelis.

Yeah, but from what I've seen generally the approach is through normal, good old-fashioned, low-tech genealogy, rather than through creepy hand-wringing about whose genome is most similar to that in some bone dug up in a tel.

Regardless, it's shameful that the United Nations finds all this time to pass these countless dozens of resolutions about big bad Israel, but only rarely does anything censuring countries like Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states manage to wend its way through. Or North Korea, or Eritrea, or China or Russia or Duterte's Philippines or Iran for that matter.

"P1: The Jews have the right to this land, because our holy book says so, so expel those horrible squatters from their land. 
P2: Those "squatters" have lived on that land always and are in fact descendant of the non-diaspora Jews, who just happened to convert to other faiths over time.
P1: How dare you bring forward such creepy evidence"

I support the Israel rights of existence, I even support the 1949 armistice border plus Jerusalem. What I don't support are the slow land grap on the West Bank and the continued legal limbo of its inhabitants. If Israel want to annex the West Bank; fine they just need to give its inhabitants citizenship, if Israel want to treat the non-Jews of the West Banks as a occupied territory; fine just stop settling it.

[DavidB.]

And Israel lobbied the other way. Those countries made their decisions.

Just like the U.S. made its decision for Donald Trump, who will be amazing for Israel. Thank you & enjoy the next eight years!

Next summer I'll be building houses in the newest, freshest outposts again anyway, probably with the support of the U.S. administration. Cry moar, Obama!

Don't be so sure he'll look at it the same way when he actually takes office. Remember, George Bush opposed tge settlements. His father and Ronald Reagan fiercely opposed the settlements. Trump is unpredictable- you can't be entirely sure  what he'll do.

This is true but doesn't make for good trolling, and in all fairness Trump's appointment of David Friedman as well as his past statements do indicate that his stance on the settlement issue is differs from former presidents' viewpoints.

[🦀🎂🦀🎂]

Trump will probably try and build a casino on Temple Mount tbh

[Gass3268]

Also from former Prime Minister/Defense Minister Ehud Barak:

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[America Needs R'hllor]

In the last week, following that resolution, our Prime Minister went completely mad, severely damaging Israeli relations with nations such as New Zealand, Russia, Ukraine, Britain and of course, the Unites States. He seems to be mimicking Trump, mocking the President of the United States on Facebook, but he's not the leader of a world power, he leads a small country dependant on exports. Also, as you can see, he's vigorously kissing a certain body part of the President-Elect.
Whatever ounce of respect I had left for him, it's gone now.

[Devout Centrist]

In the last week, following that resolution, our Prime Minister went completely mad, severely damaging Israeli relations with nations such as New Zealand, Russia, Ukraine, Britain and of course, the Unites States. He seems to be mimicking Trump, mocking the President of the United States on Facebook, but he's not the leader of a world power, he leads a small country dependant on exports. Also, as you can see, he's vigorously kissing a certain body part of the President-Elect.
Whatever ounce of respect I had left for him, it's gone now.

Good luck, guys, but it's downhill from here.

[Comrade Funk]

In the last week, following that resolution, our Prime Minister went completely mad, severely damaging Israeli relations with nations such as New Zealand, Russia, Ukraine, Britain and of course, the Unites States. He seems to be mimicking Trump, mocking the President of the United States on Facebook, but he's not the leader of a world power, he leads a small country dependant on exports. Also, as you can see, he's vigorously kissing a certain body part of the President-Elect.
Whatever ounce of respect I had left for him, it's gone now.

This was inevitable. Anytime Israel is criticized even without repercussions, your PM acts like the whole world is Hitler

[Simfan34]

Or North Korea, or Eritrea, or China or Russia or Duterte's Philippines or Iran for that matter.

Of course, if it was up to me, the UN would spend most of its time denouncing Eritrea. And there'd be a Ahmadnejad type spouting incendiary rhetoric about wiping it off the map.

But please, can someone please tell me how Israel will manage to maintain its nature as a Jewish and democratic state after annexing the entirety of the West Bank? It seems there would be three options, none of which would meet both criteria:

1) ethnic cleansing
2) political disenfranchisement of Palestinian autochtones
3) Northern Ireland-style power sharing

Claiming a right to territory because your ancestors inhabited it thousands of years ago is not congruent with the contemporary, rule-based world order we've tenuously managed to erect after surviving the horrors of war as mechanical slaughter. On these grounds virtually every country would have reason to make designs on the territories of their neighbors. Even less tenuous is are proclamations of GOD GRANTED LAND. If you want to raze the al-Aqsa Mosque, rebuild the Temple, and start a holy war in the pursuit of some messianic vision, that is your prerogative, but it is ridiculous to expect the support of the United States in any such endeavor, particularly considering most of its people regard said Messiah as having already been born, died, and risen from the dead two millennia ago.

I am in full agreement with Kalwejt-- there is no question as to the legitimacy of the State of Israel. Hamas are a terrorist gang and Fatah doesn't seem particularly peace-loving themselves. Arab states have traditionally been the aggressors against Israel, yes. But none of that lends itself to the justification of continued settlement construction and all but rejecting a two-state solution. I think Israel should finally be able to live in peace with its neighbors. Settlements are simply not congruent with that.

And what is this nonsense about the Hashemites being "murderous tyrants". They're probably the most reasonable people in the region at the moment.

[mencken]

Or North Korea, or Eritrea, or China or Russia or Duterte's Philippines or Iran for that matter.

Of course, if it was up to me, the UN would spend most of its time denouncing Eritrea. And there'd be a Ahmadnejad type spouting incendiary rhetoric.

But please, can someone please tell me how Israel will manage to maintain its nature as a Jewish and democratic state after annexing the entirety of the West Bank?

A straw man. As I understand it, Israel seeks only to annex areas with existing settlements, as part of a potential land swap with Palestinian-majority areas within Israel.

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So any nation that requires recognition of said nation's existence as a precondition for suffrage is not democratic?

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Yeah, I too find Biblical justifications for the current state of Israel offputting. A far better argument is that Jewish settlers bought the rights to the land and their progeny currently reside there.

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Concurred; the US certainly should not take a side in this regional squabble (even if I am far more sympathetic to one party than the other)

[Famous Mortimer]

Temple Mount should be a museum where all are free to come (and pray) as they please. The organized Muslim community would never get behind that though because they are fundementally unreasonable.

[dead0man]

Temple Mount should be a museum where all are free to come (and pray) as they please. The organized Muslim community would never get behind that though because they are fundementally unreasonable.

Indeed, and archaeology should be allowed to be done there too, but won't for the exact same reason.