UPDATED Kerry says U.S. decision to abstain on U.N. settlement vote was 'in accordance with our ...

[DonViejo]

Source: The Washington Post

By Carol Morello December 28 at 11:31 AM

Secretary of State John F. Kerry said Wednesday that the United States allowed the passage a U.N. condemnation of Israels settlement policies as the only way to preserve a two-state solution on the verge of being destroyed.

In a response to Israeli criticism that the United States has abandoned and betrayed its closest ally in the Middle East, Kerry said no U.S. administration has done more for Israels security than the current one.

The vote in the UN was about preserving the two state solution, said Kerry, speaking from the State Departments Dean Acheson Auditorium. Thats what we were standing up for: Israels future as a Jewish and democratic state, living side by side in peace and security with its neighbors. Thats what we are trying to preserve, for our sake and for theirs.

Kerrys speech aimed to address some of the issues that have contributed to a toxic atmosphere between the Israeli government and the Obama administration even though Obama approved military aid for Israel worth $38 billion over 10 years, the largest of its kind in U.S. history.

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/kerry-address-middle-east-peace-process-amid-deep-us-israel-strains/2016/12/28/d656e5fa-cd0a-11e6-b8a2-8c2a61b0436f_story.html?utm_term=.adfac2ef3b9b

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John Kerry harshly rebuked Israel over its settlements, saying the U.S. couldn't allow "a two-state solution to be destroyed"

Wednesday, December 28, 2016 12:00 PM EST

Secretary of State John Kerry, in one of his last speeches as secretary of state, said that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel was allowing the agenda of the settler movement to define the future of Israel. But he said “there is still a way forward if the responsible parties are willing to act.’’

And he defended the Obama administration’s policy on Israel, citing what he called unprecedented military assistance and cooperation. “No American administration has done more for Israel’s security than Barack Obama’s,’’ he declared.

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http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/28/us/politics/john-kerry-israel-palestine-peace.html?emc=edit_na_20161228&nlid=57435284&ref=cta

[Chasstev365]

1. GOOD FOR US!

About fricken time!

If Netanyahu doesn't like it, maybe we can use the $ 4 billion dollars in aid we send Israel to fund health care in tne USA instead.

[jberryhill]

2. A lot of that is a backdoor subsidy to US defense companies

That money makes a round trip into the pockets of aerospace and defense companies.

One could obtain the same economic effect by simply cutting those folks a check to sit around and fold paper airplanes, and with a lot fewer negative consequences.

[whathehell]

3. Yup..

We could use some of those billions ourselves.

[treestar]

4. Hard to believe they have the nerve to

demand that we not condemn those settlements. Those are provoking in the extreme. And I thought were not Israeli policy, just the acts of extremists.

[karynnj]

6. True - Israel just legalized many settlements that they themselves had labeled illegal

Netanyahu allowed this and new expansions to pacify his right wing allies in the cabinet.

[whathehell]

5. He is correct..

and 'Bibi' needs to stop acting like the spoiled, entitled child that he is.

[ooky]

7. Well, Kerry's speech just ended. Now Trump trying to figure out how

to dispel all those facts in a 140 character tweet lie.

[Sunlei]

8. That's right. USA wants the two state solution, work towards this! What RW wants will make war.