New details about some drama involving Israel, Russia, and the US that played out behind the scenes at the United Nations Security Council some four years ago are coming to light.
It appears that Russia demonstrated a rare willingness to use its UNSC veto on Israel's behalf to block a resolution led by then-US President Barack Obama, which would have compelled Israel to set up a Palestinian state based on the 1948 borders.
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Approximately six months ago, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said at an election rally in Maaleh Adumim that he had asked a "friend," whom he referred to as "the leader of one of the superpowers who holds veto power in the UN Security Counci," to vote against the resolution. Netanyahu credited that leader, whom he did not name, with stopping the resolution.
In a recent closed-door meeting, Netanyahu revealed more details about the unusual event.
Toward the end of Obama's second term in office, the US spearheaded UNSC Resolution 2334, which states that Israel is in violation of international law by its presence in the territories captured in the 1967 Six-Day War. Israel realized at the time that the US administration was coordinating the resolution with the Palestinians and Europeans, but had no way of blocking it without support from the US.
On Nov. 24, 2016, Netanyahu called Russian President Vladimir Putin and explained that the resolution Obama was working to pass would disrupt regional stability and harm Israel. Netanyahu asked Putin to state that he intended to use his UNSC veto to scupper the resolution. But Putin refused. On Dec. 23, 2016, the UNSC passed Resolution 2334, although then-US Ambassador to the UN Samantha Power ultimately abstained.
However, Obama had additional plans, even though he had less than a month left in the White House. He and his staff began working on another UNSC resolution, which would have forced Israel to agree to a Palestinian state based on the 1948 borders. Israel's UN ambassador at the time, Danny Danon, sounded the alarm.
At the time, the US administration denied the Israeli claim that another resolution, in addition to UNSCR 2334, was going to be brought before the UN Security Council.
Nevertheless, Netanyahu again sought help from Putin to prevent another resolution. In another phone conversation, he explained to Putin that Obama's new resolution would do serious harm to Israel and could destabilize the region.
Putin was convinced and told Netanyahu that if the resolution came to a vote, Russia would veto it.
According to what Netanyahu said in the closed meeting, Obama was informed of Russia's intention to veto the American move. Obama realized that if Russia vetoed a US resolution in order to protect Israel, it would be a fatal blow to the US's image as an ally of Israel and its standing in the Jewish community. Therefore, Obama decided to shelve the resolution, Netanyahu said.
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