US breaks with UNSC members, refuses to condemn Israeli settler violence
Multiple Council members have urged Israel to halt illegal settlement activity and respect international law
NEW YORK, United States (MNTV) — The United States broke ranks with most members of the UN Security Council, refusing to condemn escalating Israeli settler violence in the occupied West Bank and opposing briefings on Resolution 2334, which addresses Israel’s illegal settlement expansion.
US envoy Jennifer Locetta, the State Department’s alternate representative for special political affairs, accused the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, of alleged links to Hamas, claiming it “rejects any reasonable standards for accountability for the vetting of its staff or partners.”
“We have been clear,” Locetta told the Council. “The United States opposes these quarterly briefings on UNSCR 2334, as they distract from pressing threats to international peace and security.”
She argued that Resolution 2803 — adopted last month to endorse the October Gaza ceasefire framework — rather than Resolution 2334, “charts the path toward a stable, safe, and prosperous Middle East.”
“We are working to establish the International Stabilization Force and to train fully vetted Palestinian police,” she said. “This Council should end its outsized focus on an outdated resolution.”
Locetta added that Washington remains focused on Israeli security while maintaining stability in Gaza and the West Bank, insisting the U.S. “will not allow the annexation of the West Bank.”
Other Council members sharply disagreed.
Slovenia’s UN envoy Samuel Zbogar warned that “crippling annexation is taking hold in the West Bank,” condemning Israeli authorities’ forced entry into UNRWA’s East Jerusalem compound and the removal of the UN flag.
France’s UN Ambassador Jerome Bonnafont reiterated opposition to settlement expansion and any form of annexation, calling threats against UNRWA “unacceptable.”
Algeria’s Amar Bendjama described the planned demolition of 100 Palestinian homes as routine, not exceptional.
“This occupation is administered with precision and sustained by our silence,” he said.
Russia’s Dmitry Polyanskiy noted that the Gaza ceasefire had brought no relief to the West Bank, citing Israeli military operations in Jenin and Tubas. He also called for the release of Palestinian tax revenues withheld by Israel.
China’s Fu Cong said unilateral actions violating international law “must cease immediately.”
Denmark, Pakistan, and Guyana echoed similar concerns, calling for an end to settlement activity, settler violence, and actions undermining Palestinian self-determination.
Have Your Say!
Have you been affected by the issues raised in this story? Please share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@soundvision.com.
Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a Muslim Network TV’s representative. You can also get in touch in the following ways:
Tweet: @MuslimNetworkTV
We must take charge of our narrative. Research indicates that 92% of their Muslim coverage is negative. Help us change that.
