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The United States voted against the United Nations resolution abandoning its practice of refraining
Photo file by AFP
JERUSALEM – On Sunday, November 18, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised the US's decision to vote for the first time against an annual UN resolution condemning Israel's occupation of the Golan Heights.
"I want to thank President (Donald) Trump and Ambassador (Nikki) Haley for this important and fair vote that fits my policy perfectly," Netanyahu said at the beginning of the cabinet meeting.
"Israel will always remain on the Golan Heights and the Golan Heights will always remain in our hands."
The United States voted against the UN resolution on Friday, November 16th, abandoning the practice of forbearance.
The non-binding text was adopted by a committee of the General Assembly by 151 votes to 2, with the United States and Israel being the only two countries opposed to the measure. Fourteen countries abstained.
Haley called the resolution "useless" and "obviously biased against Israel", citing concerns over Iran's military role in Syria to oppose the measure.
The vote maintains the American practice under Trump to adopt firmly pro-Israeli positions.
In September, the US ambassador to Israel, David Friedman, said he expected the Golan Heights to remain under Israeli control "forever."
Israel seized much of the Golan Heights from Syria during a 1967 war and subsequently annexed it by movements never recognized by the international community.
The resolution states that the Israeli decision to occupy and annex the Golan was "null and void" and calls on Israel to cancel its proceedings. – Rappler.com
