Israel is suspending diplomatic ties with nations that supported the controversial United Nations Security Council Resolution 2334, condemning Israeli settlements on land claimed by Palestine.
Ron Dermer, the Israeli ambassador to the United States, defended the response with Jake Tapper on CNN:
Israeli ambassador to US: “Israel’s enemies are celebrating this resolution. That tells you all you need to know” https://t.co/m3ZietP4lH
— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) December 26, 2016
Dermer interjected, "Israel's enemies are celebrating this resolution, that's all you need to know."
Israel has cut off diplomatic relations with: Britain, France, Russia, China, Japan, Ukraine, Angola, Egypt, Uruguay, Spain, Senegal and New Zealand, Malaysia in retaliation for the vote.
Dermer also explained how, in his view, Obama has worsened relations between the United States and Israel on the settlements:
Israeli ambassador to US: "I don't think the settlements are an obstacle to the peace process" https://t.co/R9WgEymV16
— The Lead CNN (@TheLeadCNN) December 26, 2016
Many have characterized this inaction by Obama in the face of the United Nations condemnation as a "parting shot" from Obama as he sees his domestic policy legacy threatened by the incoming President-elect Donald Trump. The response from many Republicans has been to vehemently support Israel, even to the point of demanding the U.N. be defunded so long as the resolution stands.
