Ambassador Samantha Power confirmed that Obama’s reassessment of relations with Israel could involve advancing anti-Israel resolutions at the UN.
The Obama administration could propose anti-Israel resolutions at the UN, US Ambassador to the UN Samantha Power told Congress. Speaking to the foreign operations subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee, Power said that the US would continue to support Israel “when it matters.”
Several members of the committee expressed concern about suggestions that the US would no longer use its veto power to protect Israel from condemnation at the UN.
The leading Democrat on the committee, Rep. Nancy Lowey of NY, said she was worried by reports “suggesting a reevaluation of our long-standing policy of defending Israel at the UN.”
Subcommittee chairwoman Kay Granger (R-TX) added, “I am also very concerned about recent statements from administration officials that suggest the United States is reevaluating its approach to the peace process and reports that the US may support a UN Security Council resolution laying out conditions and establishing deadlines.”
Power would not rule out the possibility that the US would advance anti-Israel resolutions at the UN, saying, “We will look to see what will advance Israel’s security and what will advance peace in the region.” She added, “Our objective as an administration is what can we do to defuse tensions, what will it take to get those negotiations back on track.”
She tried to reassure the members of Congress, however, saying, “We will continue to work extremely closely with Israel in New York. As you know well we have a record of standing when it matters with Israel.”
President Barack Obama said that the US needs to “rethink our approach” towards relations with Israel and the peace process following the re-election of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He told Netanyahu that the US would “reassess our options.
By Sara Abramowicz, United with Israel