Israel will move ahead with plans to build thousands of new homes in East Jerusalem, refusing to back down after a United Nations vote last week declared such housing there and in the West Bank illegal under international law.
The vote succeeded after the United States, in a historic break with precedent, abstained.
According to the New York Times, the city will approve the construction of 600 new housing units Wednesday, a first step in what will ultimately amount to 5,600 new Jewish homes in the Arab section of the city.
“Israel is a country with national pride, and we do not turn the other cheek,” Israeli Prime Minster Benjamin Netanyahu said. “This is a responsible, measured and vigorous response, the natural response of a healthy people that is making it clear to the nations of the world that what was done at the U.N. is unacceptable to us.”
Netanyahu has reacted angrily to President Obama’s decision to abstain from the vote, as has President-elect Trump, who tweeted Monday that the United Nations had become a “club” where people “have a good time.”
Netanyahu also downgraded ties with countries that had voted for the resolution, including Britain, France, Russia, China, Japan, Ukraine and Egypt.
Meanwhile, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas hopes the resolution will influence the upcoming Middle East conference in Paris to lay the groundwork to end Israel’s settlement construction
Abbas said early Tuesday that the resolution “proves that the world rejects the settlements, as they are illegal, in our occupied land including East Jerusalem.”
“The decision lays the foundation for any future serious negotiation … and it paves the way for the international peace conference slated to be held in Paris next month and we hope this conference comes up with a mechanism and timetable to end the occupation,” Abbas told a meeting of his Fatah party, his first comments since last week’s Security Council vote.
France is hosting a Middle East conference on January 15 — just days before President Obama leaves office — where dozens of countries are to debate an international peace negotiation between Israel and the Palestinians. Israel has refused to attend the gathering.
