Congress has limited options for responding to a United Nations Security Council resolution critical of Israel, according to a top Palestinian official who spoke to THE WEEKLY STANDARD.
The remarks from Maen Areikat, the chief representative of the Palestine Liberation Organization in the United States, came as lawmakers rolled out legislation in the aftermath of the December resolution, which describes the West Bank and east Jerusalem as occupied Palestinian territory and condemns Israeli construction in those areas.
“U.N. Security Council resolutions are passed at the U.N. Congress can express opposition but legally has no jurisdiction or authority over the U.N.,” Areikat told TWS last week.
“Every time Congress gets mad at us, they think of doing things. Closing down the office was always one major issue, and cutting off funds to the Palestinian Authority another,” Areikat had said earlier in January, in response to a question from TWS. “I don’t know what else they can do. These are the two most important threats that they always have against us.”
Florida senator Marco Rubio, who introduced a measure censuring the U.N. over the resolution, criticized Areikat for pursuing diplomatic initiatives against Israel.
“As I’ve told Mr. Areikat before, his time would be better spent stopping the incitement of Palestinian terrorism instead of criticizing Israel and trying to circumvent bilateral negotiations,” Rubio told TWS.
The House of Representatives passed a measure in January calling to repeal or fundamentally change the U.N. resolution. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle expressed outrage after the Obama administration abstained from voting on what was broadly described on Capitol Hill as a one-sided resolution against Israel that would harden Palestinian demands.
Lawmakers have also introduced legislation to cut taxpayer dollars to the United Nations until the resolution is repealed.
“This was John Kerry and Obama taking a slap at Israel. We’re going to push back,” said South Carolina senator Lindsey Graham, who introduced that bill with Texas senator Ted Cruz.
Another congressional measure introduced in January calls to move the U.S. embassy in Israel to Jerusalem. President-elect Donald Trump indicated on the campaign trail that he was open to the move, and Trump officials have reportedly begun exploring possible locations.
Over the weekend foreign leaders met for a Middle East peace conference in Paris without the presence of Israeli or Palestinian officials, which concluded with a communique urging both parties to reaffirm support for a two-state solution. Secretary of State John Kerry said that the United States had ensured the document was fair to Israel.
But Britian did not sign the communique and criticized the conference for not involving either party, as well as for its proximity to the inauguration of the president-elect.
“There are risks … that this conference hardens positions at a time when we need to be encouraging the conditions for peace,” the country’s Foreign Office said in a statement.
