Israel Matzav

US introduces Security Council resolution endorsing Annapolis

The United States has introduced a United Nations Security Council resolution endorsing the 'joint declaration' signed by Israel and the 'Palestinians' at the Annapolis gang rape.

U.S. Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad told reporters after closed-door discussions Thursday on the draft resolution that "there was enormous support" for the decisions taken by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert at the U.S.-sponsored Mideast conference in Annapolis, Maryland.

"Everyone that spoke was very positive," he said. "Everyone recognizes that we collectively and individually have to do what we can to be supportive, sustain the momentum and help the parties as they make the difficult decisions that they have to make."

Khalilzad said he would consult with the Israelis and Palestinians overnight on the text of the resolution to ensure that it's what they want. Council members said they needed to consult with their capitals on the text.

Indonesia's U.N. Ambassador Marty Natalegawa, the current council president, said hopefully the resolution will be adopted on Friday, after the council gets its monthly Mideast briefing.

Here's some of what the resolution will say:

The draft resolution affirms the Security Council's vision of a region where two states, Israel and Palestine, live side by side within secure and recognized borders.

It welcomes the diplomatic efforts at the Annapolis conference "to realize this vision as a concrete step towards a comprehensive Middle East peace."

The draft resolution "endorses the program of action for negotiations and implementation of outstanding obligations pursuant to the roadmap agreed upon by the Israeli and Palestinian leadership at Annapolis, Maryland on Nov. 27, 2007."

It welcomes continuing efforts by the Quartet — the U.S., the U.N., the European Union and Russia — "to achieve a permanent two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in the Middle East."

The U.S. draft calls on all states to provide diplomatic and political support to Israeli-Palestinian efforts to implement the new roadmap "including by encouraging and recognizing progress and preventing any support for acts of violence or terrorism intended to disrupt their efforts."

Diplomats said one council member questioned the phrase referring to terrorism during the closed-door discussion. [Qatar? Indonesia? China? Russia? CiJ]

The draft also calls on all countries and international organizations to help develop the Palestinian economy, to maximize resources available to the Palestinian Authority and to help build Palestinian institutions "in preparation for statehood."

The main reason that the United States apparently wants this resolution is to gain UN backing for the role that the United States is going to play in determining whether the parties have complied with their obligations under the 'road map.'

I have looked - in vein - for any indication that this resolution is to be adopted under Chapter 7 of the UN rules (which would give the Security Council the power to enforce it). Hopefully, it is not being adopted under Chapter 7.

I'm really leery about this because the UN has a history of holding Israel to the highest possible standard while overlooking any and every 'Palestinian' violation.

Keep in mind, as I have noted a couple of times, that this is the straight road map - Olmert gave up on the fourteen reservations.

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 1:55 PM