Israel-Palestine Analysis: Washington Blocks the UN and the Palestinians

On Friday, the UN General Assembly voted to hold a summit for the 10th anniversary of the World Conference Against Racism, also known as the Durban Conference.

In 2001, the declaration from Durban singled out Israel for criticism, likening Zionism to racism and referring to "the plight of the Palestinians." In April 2009, there was a follow-up conference, but the US, Canada, Israel, New Zealand, Germany, Sweden, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, and Australia did not participate. The conference report had no language accusing Israel of racism and no reference to the recent Gaza War. 

Washington continues its opposition to any gathering. US Ambassador Susan Rice said Washington voted against Friday's resolution "because the Durban declaration process has included ugly displays of intolerance and anti-Semitism, and we do not want to see that commemorated".

Meanwhile, Washington signalled that it would veto the Palestinian Authority's draft resolution calling Israeli construction in the settlements (including "natural growth") "illegal", condemning all actions by Israel to change the demographic component, character, and status of the territories, and asking Israeli government to dismantle illegal outposts built after 2001.

A senior US official told Haaretz: "Final status issues can only be resolved through negotiations between the parties, not by recourse to the UN Security Council. We, therefore, consistently oppose any attempt to take final status issues to the council as such efforts do not move us closer to our goal of two states living side by side in peace and security."

According to reports, the Palestinians will call for a meeting of the UN Security Council to vote on the resolution in January, when Bosnia and Herzegovina replaces the US as the Council President.

US special envoy George Mitchell continues to insist that the administration in Washington will not cease its involvement in the peace process. He told told the Maine Public Broadcasting Network: "I think that any president would not simply stand by and let a conflict erupt because it would not be in our interest."

Talking to Russian reporters, Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu gave his summary of the situation: Iran is "the main problem in the Middle East", and "the Palestinians, not Israel, are responsible for obstruction the efforts to achieve peace".