US vetoes United Nations resolution on Jewish settlements
Friday, February 18, 2011 at 10:26PM TELEGRAPH
Susan Rice, the US ambassador to the UN, was the sole member of the 15-member council to raise her hand in opposition to the draft resolution, which called on Israel to stop settlement construction in the West Bank, East Jerusalem and Golan Heights.
The resolution, she said, by involving the UN, would have "hardened the positions of both sides" and complicated peace efforts.
However, she said: "Our opposition to this resolution should not be misunderstood to mean we support settlement activity. On the contrary we reject in the strongest terms the legitimacy of continued Israeli settlement activity."
Mr Obama has made clear he views the settlements in Palestinian territories as a serious obstacle to peace in the long-running conflict, but faced with an awkward choice he decided against abandoning America's traditional support for Israel at the UN.
US-sponsored peace talks between the Israelis and Palestinians broke down last year when the Israelis refused to stop construction work on settlements.
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