While the situation on the ground continues to damage Palestinians, Muslim states have appealed a resolution against Israel settlement expansion to United Nations Security Council.
Press TV
".....Press TV: How do you see the US? How do you predict the US showing reaction because so far at least in words it has opposed to the continuation of settlement expansion? Will this request of the Islamic nations at the UN affect the US decision? Will it get them on board or what?
Kassem: No, I don't think so. You know the Islamic countries collectively did not have a big value on international politics. A Muslim country by itself or a couple of countries by themselves can do something. But once these states come together, they have no weight in international diplomacy or international politics. So I doubt if the United States would take any consideration for these countries. And the United States is going to argue that this kind of approach will be negative to the peaceful negotiations between the Palestinians and the Israelis and that the Palestinians and Israelis can negotiate by themselves until they reach a resolution.
But the UN is not going to do any good. Israel is not going to listen. And probably if the UN Council is asked to vote the United States might vote. So what good is it going to do the Palestinians? So the United States might feel it needs to make a certain favor for the Muslim or Arab countries and vote for the resolution, but we know there are resolutions in the United Nations saying that settlement activity in the West Bank is illegal. However, this does not alter the Israeli policy toward the settlements. So what we need is not to appeal to the United Nations. We need to be strong as to have influence on the United Nations. If we are not strong enough to have that influence then we are just asking the other side to do it, and I don't think the other side is willing to do so....."
Press TV
".....Press TV: How do you see the US? How do you predict the US showing reaction because so far at least in words it has opposed to the continuation of settlement expansion? Will this request of the Islamic nations at the UN affect the US decision? Will it get them on board or what?
Kassem: No, I don't think so. You know the Islamic countries collectively did not have a big value on international politics. A Muslim country by itself or a couple of countries by themselves can do something. But once these states come together, they have no weight in international diplomacy or international politics. So I doubt if the United States would take any consideration for these countries. And the United States is going to argue that this kind of approach will be negative to the peaceful negotiations between the Palestinians and the Israelis and that the Palestinians and Israelis can negotiate by themselves until they reach a resolution.
But the UN is not going to do any good. Israel is not going to listen. And probably if the UN Council is asked to vote the United States might vote. So what good is it going to do the Palestinians? So the United States might feel it needs to make a certain favor for the Muslim or Arab countries and vote for the resolution, but we know there are resolutions in the United Nations saying that settlement activity in the West Bank is illegal. However, this does not alter the Israeli policy toward the settlements. So what we need is not to appeal to the United Nations. We need to be strong as to have influence on the United Nations. If we are not strong enough to have that influence then we are just asking the other side to do it, and I don't think the other side is willing to do so....."
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