Israel condemns UN resolution on illegal settlements as ‘shameful’, recalls ambassadors from two nations than backed motion

Israel issued an angry rebuke to a United Nations security resolution that condemned its settlement building in occupied territories, recalling two ambassadors to nations that co-sponsored the resolution.

On Friday, in a dramatic departure from longstanding US practice, Barack Obama’s government stepped aside and allowed the UN Security Council to censure Israeli settlement construction in the West Bank and east Jerusalem as a violation of international law.

Traditionally, it has used its veto power to quash such resolutions. But this time, with Israel’s conservative government railing against the Obama administration and president-elect Donald Trump demanding an American veto, the US abstained and the resolution was approved 14-0.

Israel recalled its ambassadors to New Zealand and Senegal, two of the four co-sponsors of the resolution. Tel-Aviv also cancelled a planned visit by the Senegalese foreign minister in January and announced it would cancel all aid to the African nation.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu labelled the move as “shameful” in a statement released immediately following the UN vote.

Responding to the Israeli moves, New Zealand’s foreign minister, Murray McCully, said the decision should have been no surprise to Israel, which knew Wellington’s position long before the UN vote.