Incoming U.S.
President Donald Trump on Wednesday, asked Israel to stay strong, saying his
inauguration on Jan. 20, 2017, is fast approaching and things will change.
Trump’s remark was
not unconnected with the continued controversies over recent UN resolution
condemning Israeli settlements in Palestinian territories.
“We cannot continue
to let Israel be treated with such total disdain and disrespect.
“They used to have a
great friend in the U.S., but not anymore.
“The beginning of
the end was the horrible Iran deal, and now this (U.N.)!
“Stay strong Israel,
January 20th is fast approaching!” the president-elect said.
Israeli Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has had a tense relationship with Obama,
particularly over the abstention, responded to Trump on Twitter, thanking the
incoming U.S. president.
“President-elect
Trump, thank you for your warm friendship and your clear-cut support for
Israel!” Netanyahu responded to Trump.
Earlier, the
incoming president had also given an impression that the transition process
between him and Obama’s administration was not going smoothly.
According to him,
there have also been “many inflammatory statements” and “roadblocks” from
Obama.
“Doing my best to
disregard the many inflammatory President O statements and roadblocks.
“Thought it was
going to be a smooth transition – NOT!” Trump had tweeted.
U.S. Secretary of
State John Kerry had in his remarks on Wednesday, defended U.S. abstention
rather than veto the UN Security Council resolution on the Israeli settlements
in Palestinian.
Kerry also warned
Israel that the two-state solution to the crisis rocking the Middle East was in
jeopardy.
Trump had on Monday,
criticised the UN after the resolution, describing the global body as a mere
talk club.
“The United Nations
has such great potential but right now it is just a club for people to get
together, talk and have a good time.
“So sad,” Trump
said.
The presiden-elect
had earlier asked the U.S. to veto the resolution.
“The resolution
being considered at the United Nations Security Council regarding Israel should
be vetoed.
“As the United
States has long maintained, peace between the Israelis and the Palestinians
will only come through direct negotiations between the parties, and not through
the imposition of terms by the United Nations.
“This puts Israel in
a very poor negotiating position and is extremely unfair to all Israelis.”
However, the
resolution was put forward on Friday by Malaysia, New Zealand, Senegal and
Venezuela after Egypt, who earlier sponsored it asked for its suspension.
The Obama
administration disregarded Trump’s directive and went ahead to abstain from
voting on the resolution when it finally came up on Friday, drawing criticisms
from the president-elect and his team.
The 15-member
Council adopted the resolution by a vote of 14 in favour, while the U.S
abstained.
Trump had,
thereafter, threatened that “things will change” at the global international
organisation when he assumesthe U.S. presidency from Jan. 20, 2017.
The White House had,
in a response by Obama’s Deputy National Security Advisor for Strategic
Communications, Mr Ben Rhodes, cautioned Trump’s and his team, saying Obama
remains president till Jan. 20, 2017.
“On the
President-elect, the first thing I’d just say is that there’s one President at
a time.
“President Obama is
the President of the United States until January 20th, and we are taking this
action (abstention), of course, as U.S. policy,” he said.
(Source: NAN)
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