News / Interviews

UN anti-Israeli settlements vote, purely symbolic gesture: Commentator

Saturday, 24 December 2016 4:42 PM [ Last Update: Saturday, 24 December 2016 4:43 PM ]

In this image released by the UN, members of the Security Council vote on December 23, 2016, on a resolution to stop Israeli settlements. (Photo by AFP)

The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has passed a resolution censuring Israel for its settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian territories after the US refused to veto it, reversing its longstanding policy of shielding the Israeli regime from condemnatory resolutions at the world body.

An author and commentator believes the anti-Israeli settlement resolution is absolutely “toothless” and a “purely symbolic gesture”, adding that Israel does not care at all about what the United Nations says.

“So yes, it is a tiny, infinitesimal, symbolic victory but it has no relevance, there is no sanction mechanisms attached to it, there is no penalty, and Israel will ignore it as they usually ignore things they do not like,’ John Steppling told Press TV in an interview on Saturday.

He also stated Tel Aviv has no intention of ever stopping its land grabbing and wants all Palestinians gone, which is likely to occur with the election of Donald Trump and the nomination of David Friedman as US ambassador to Israel.

He went on to say the fear right now is that Trump may turn out to be the most pro-Israeli president in history, and that with the appointment of David Friedman, Israel will have “carte blanche”.

Steppling further opined that the anti-Israeli settlement resolution will only allow the recognition of the world condemnation of Israel.

He also argued the reason why the US did not veto this resolution has to be seen in the light of President Barack Obama’s lame duck period and the defeat of the US proxy war in Syria.

According to the commentator, it is time to stop euphemistically describing an “incremental genocide” against Palestinians, asserting that there is no justification for any of these Israeli settlements that are growing more rapidly than ever.

More than half a million Israelis live in over 230 settlements built since the 1967 Israeli occupation of the West Bank including East Jerusalem al-Quds. The international community regards the settlements as illegal as they are built on private Palestinian lands. Israel has defied international calls for a halt to its settlement activities.

Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.co.uk