Kerry, Power Take Credit for Palestinian Loss at UN

Kerry, Power Take Credit for Palestinian Loss at UN

by Joel B. Pollak4 Jan 2015

http://www.breitbart.com/national-security/2015/01/04/kerry-power-take-credit-for-palestinian-loss-at-un/

Secretary of State John Kerry and UN Ambassador Samantha Power are being credited for their efforts in lobbying members of the UN Security Council to vote against a unilateral declaration of Palestinian statehood. The resolution fell one vote shy of the 9 needed, dealing the Palestinians a major diplomatic embarrassment. No doubt Kerry and Power deserve some credit, both for their diplomacy and strong public statements. Yet if they had been on top of their game, the vote never would have been held.

The U.S. wields veto power at the Security Council. Merely by threatening to use that veto, the U.S. has been able to discourage such resolutions from being proposed in the first place. In this circumstance, however, the U.S. sought to avoid having to use its veto. The Obama administration is particularly sensitive about being perceived as too close to Israel. Being forced to veto as the only way to stop the Palestinian resolution would have complicated its attempt to refashion America’s image on the world stage.

It is also not entirely clear that the Obama administration would have vetoed the Palestinian state resolution. Like France, which tried to convince the Palestinians not to bring the resolution to a vote, yet voted for it anyway, the pro-Israel commitment of the Obama administration is usually in doubt. Recently, the White House even floated the idea of enacting sanctions against Israel.

Regardless, the fact that the Palestinians pressed the issue at all is a sign of declining U.S. influence under Obama’s leadership.

What ultimately tipped the scales against the resolution was the surprise decision by Nigeria, long a pro-Palestinian vote at the UN, to abstain. Israeli news sources credit a crucial phone call from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan. Yet the reality is that Nigeria is facing an urgent Islamist terror threat of its own in Boko Haram. That, more than any other factor, may have swayed Nigeria’s decision. It is a threat the Obama administration still dare not call by its name.

Benjamin Netanyahu

Benjamin Netanyahu is the prime minister of Israel.

Note: Shimon Peres is the president of Israel, and a friend of Haim Saban.

Haim Saban is a friend of Shimon Peres, a benefactor at the Saban Center for Middle East Policy, and a trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank).

Saban Center for Middle East Policy is a policy center at the Brookings Institution (think tank).

Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala was a visiting fellow at the Brookings Institution (think tank), and the minister of finance for Nigeria.

Cameron F. Kerry is a fellow at the Brookings Institution (think tank), and Secretary of State John F. Kerry’s brother.

Teresa Heinz Kerry is an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank), and married to Secretary of State John F. Kerry.

Cass R. Sunstein is a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution (think tank), and married to UN Ambassador Samantha Power.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Brookings Institution (think tank), and the International Rescue Committee.

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society, and is a board member for the International Crisis Group.

Samantha Power is married to Cass R. Sunstein, the United Nations U.S. ambassador, was a director at the International Rescue Committee, and a board member for the International Crisis Group.

Thomas R. Pickering is a co-chair for the International Crisis Group, a distinguished fellow at the Brookings Institution (think tank), was a United Nations U.S. ambassador, a Nigeria U.S. ambassador, and an Israel U.S. ambassador.

Saban Center for Middle East Policy is a policy center at the Brookings Institution (think tank).

Haim Saban is a benefactor at the Saban Center for Middle East Policy, a trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank), and a friend of Shimon Peres.

Shimon Peres is a friend of Haim Saban, and the president of Israel.

Israel is a member of the United Nations.

Nigeria is a member of the United Nations.

Palestine is a member of the United Nations.