Mixed feelings in Israel about U.N. Security Council vote

By Rabbi Dow Marmur

JERUSALEM — I’m among those who believe that the Jewish settlements on the West Bank constitute a great, perhaps the greatest, danger to Israel. I also believe that accommodation could be made to enable a Palestinian state to have its capital in parts of the city it may call Jerusalem. Yet, like members of a family who quarrel with each other but unite in defending each other when attacked from outside, I feel very defensive in response to the latest UN Security Council resolution about the settlements.

The United Nations doesn’t exactly have a clean record in its dealings with Israel. Thus even now, as it sat deep into the night to condemn Israel, it hasn’t said much about the massacre in Syria and the calamities in other parts of the world. Even its outgoing Secretary General admitted that his organization would single out Israel for disproportionate condemnation.

And now back to the family quarrel. Though it’s easy to agree with the criticism that the government of Israel levels against the UN, it’s difficult – impossible for many of us – to concur when it says repeatedly that the settlements aren’t a real obstacle to peace with the Palestinians. Moreover, the call by the settlers’ party in the government and its supporters to annex part of the West Bank and expand building there is cause for genuine alarm. I fear that, once again in our history, zealots and ostensible patriots may bring about our downfall in the name of love of Israel.

Opposition parties in the Knesset seem to have a case when they point accusing fingers at the prime minister and his government for being the cause, or at least one of the main causes, of the present situation. Netanyahu’s appearance before the US Congress to oppose the Iran deal was a direct affront to President Obama. Only a saint might not want to reciprocate and Obama is no saint. Not vetoing the Security Council resolution is part of the evidence. Israel’s accusations against the outgoing US administration are unhelpful. Trump may like them, but do they serve Israel’s purpose?

The selective “punishment” of those who voted against Israel is another example of misguided diplomacy. It’s relatively cheap to recall the Israeli ambassadors in New Zealand and Senegal for “consultations” or to cancel the visits of the foreign ministers of Senegal and Ukraine. However, such ostensibly friendly countries like Britain, France, Russia and China also have veto rights in the Security Council which they didn’t use. Netanyahu hasn’t said anything against them.

Much of his bravado in responding to the Security Council resolution is based on the hope – so far no tangible evidence other than pompous declarations – that the new US administration will do Israel’s bidding and make sure that its prime minister stays in power and isn’t taken to the International Criminal Court in the Hague. However, once unpredictable – as the US president-elect has proven to be – always unpredictable; Netanyahu’s assurances that a new and good things are on the horizon may be more eyewash than analysis.

All this means that Israel must brace itself for another tough winter. The Palestinian Authority will make much of its UN success and implicitly or explicitly encourage more acts of terror while the current government of Israel will remain imprisoned by its doctrine of boundless sovereignty over all of the land of Israel fanned by its faith in Donald Trump and his team.

We pray for the continued resilience of Israelis and their true supporters.

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Rabbi Marmur is spiritual leader emeritus of Holy Blossom Temple in Toronto, Canada. Now residing in Israel, he may be contacted via dow.marmur@sdjewishworld.com