The United Nations has an obsession with Israel, one that is “entirely unproductive,” U.S. Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley said Tuesday in what is to be her last address to the Security Council’s monthly meeting on the Middle East.
Haley used her remarks to slam the UN for its anti-Israel bias, focusing in particular on the General Assembly vote earlier this month, which failed even to pass a U.S.-sponsored resolution condemning Hamas terrorism.
She noted that even though the UN couldn’t manage to get the Hamas resolution through, it had no trouble passing more than 700 resolutions criticizing or condemning Israel.
“This U.N. obsession has been entirely unproductive. It’s actually worse than that. The UN’s obsession with this issue has been counterproductive. It has sent a loud and false message to the Palestinians that they might be able to achieve their goals by relying on the UN, rather than through direct negotiations. And it has sent a loud and accurate message to the Israelis that they can never trust the UN,” Haley said.
She also talked about the Trump administration’s peace plan, expected to debut sometime early in 2019. “This plan will be different from all previous ones: the critical question is whether the response to it will be any different,” she said, adding that the U.S. will continue to offer its hand in friendship to the Palestinian Authority, but would also continue to maintain its “unshakeable bond” with Israel.
“Whatever it is that others decide, the world must know that America will remain steadfast in our support for Israel, its people and its security,” she said.
The full transcript of Ambassador Haley’s remarks may be accessed here.
U.S. State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert has been appointed by President Donald Trump to succeed Haley in her post.