Netanyahu: I Was Surprised and Deeply Disappointed by John Kerry's Remarks on the Security Council Resolution

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sharply responded to U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry's speech on Wednesday, December 28, which outlined the current U.S. government's perspective on Israeli-Palestinian peace. According to Israeli media, Netanyahu took to the podium in Jerusalem just minutes after Kerry's speech in Washington, attacking Kerry and describing his comments as 'obsessive against Israeli settlers.' Netanyahu stated, 'The truth is that I was surprised and deeply disappointed by Kerry's words; is this all that a U.S. Secretary of State—this superpower of the world—has to say?' According to the Israeli Prime Minister, Kerry 'should have addressed the root of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which is the Palestinians' stubborn refusal to accept Israel as a Jewish state within its borders.' Netanyahu added, 'The Middle East is burning, countries are facing collapse, terror has created chaos, yet Kerry stands for an hour and a half attacking a country that is the only democracy in the Middle East and a stabilizing force in the region.' The Israeli Prime Minister also remarked that Kerry 'created a false balance between construction in Jerusalem and its neighborhoods and the terror that targets innocents.' Netanyahu expressed hope that the U.S. government would not deliver another blow to Israel in its final days. The Israeli government views the Security Council Resolution 2334, passed on December 23, as a blow to itself and is concerned about 'a second blow before the end of Obama's administration in the next 23 days.' According to reports, Kerry stated on December 28, in response to Israel's sharp criticism of the U.S. abstention on the resolution, that this approach was 'the last effort to preserve the two-state solution for independent Israel and Palestine.' The resolution calls for a halt to Israeli settlement activities in Palestinian territories, but the Israeli government has stated it will not implement it. In response to Kerry's speech, Netanyahu also said, 'We are eagerly awaiting the inauguration of the next U.S. government and the new Congress in Washington to cooperate and address the damages caused by Kerry's speech and the actions of the current U.S. government at the UN.' U.S. President-elect Donald Trump had called on Israel to be strong until his presidency begins (on January 20). Trump described the Obama administration's treatment of Israel as 'humiliating' and stated that Israel has been a great friend of the U.S. but has faced 'disrespect' from President Obama's government. Meanwhile, Mahmoud Abbas, President of the Palestinian Authority, reacted to Kerry's speech by stating that the Palestinians 'are committed to a just peace as a strategic choice.' According to Palestinian media, Abbas added that if the Israeli government stops settlement activities and fulfills its international obligations, peace negotiations could resume.