Sorting Out the Issue of Israeli Settlements
By Hanan Ashrawi
February 23, 2011

The Feb. 20 editorial "Mr. Abbas's revealing resolution" repeated the same one-sidedness that informed the U.S. administration's recent U.N. Security Council veto of a resolution that called on Israel to cease settlement construction in the West Bank and Jerusalem. To single out Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas merely serves to avoid dealing with the obvious. Sponsored by 130 states and supported by all members of the U.N. Security Council except the United States, the resolution in question gave voice to today's overwhelming international consensus regarding the illegality of Israeli settlements while highlighting the isolation of U.S. policy in support of Israeli intransigence.

It is disingenuous for The Post's editorial board to suggest that Mr. Abbas embarrassed the Obama administration. Rather, U.S. embarrassment stems from a veto that was inconsistent with international law and out of step with the rest of the international community and that contradicted official U.S. policy. The United States has proved itself incapable of being an even-handed broker. The rest of the U.N. Security Council should be commended for taking a principled stand in support of international law and in support of peace.

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