Jerusalem, Israel
SUPPORT AT THE UN – NICKI HALEY’S VISIT TO ISRAEL
Nikki Haley, American ambassador to the United Nations, met
with Israeli government leaders on Wednesday, June 7, 2017 in Jerusalem, to
discuss bilateral relations. In recent months, there has been a marked shift in
tone towards Israel, signaling a change in Middle East foreign policy under
U.S. President Donald Trump’s Administration.
Speaking to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Haley
said there was a turning of the tide in New York at the United Nations. “I
think they know they can’t keep responding in the way they’ve been responding.
They sense that the tone has changed.”
Haley spoke in Geneva on the eve of June 6th, before
embarking on her trip to Israel. She said that the UN agenda was discussed with
ambassadors there. “It will be a new day at the Human Rights Council when it
comes to Israel,” she declared.
Most of the ambassadors on the Human Rights Council heard
from Haley about Agenda Item Seven which is fraught with condemnation of Israel
when it’s brought before the nations. Under this item, the council is mandated
to talk about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict at every session. There is no
similar mandate demanded of other nations, especially those who are currently
committing human atrocities in Iran, Syria, and North Korea.
Haley has demanded reform, speaking to UN leaders about the
need to stop unfairly accusing Israel of human rights violations. “Some of them, they were embarrassed by it.
You know, they acknowledge the fact that it just makes no sense. You can’t sit
there, and of all countries, Israel?”
Haley has proven, over and over again, her pro-Israel
support, taking the UNHRC and other UN groups to task for their anti-Israel
bias. The US has threatened to remove its financial and diplomatic support for
these organizations. Haley has demanded that there be no separate agenda item
on Israel than for any other country being addressed at the UN.
At the Israeli President’s Residence, Haley thanked President
Reuven Rivlin for his support, but said, “I feel somewhat guilty because all I
did at the United Nations was tell the truth. I have never taken kindly to
bullies, and the UN has bullied Israel for a very long time; and, we are not
going to let that happen anymore. It is a new day for Israel in the United
Nations.”
Professor Gabriela Shalev, former Israeli Ambassador to the
UN, spoke briefly to journalists on a Jerusalem conference call about Haley’s
visit. She mentioned that Haley was a great friend of Israel, who has
identified with Israelis and Jews living in the Middle East. “I can only attest
to my short experience, representing Israel for 2 years, 2008-2010, as Israeli
ambassador to the UN. Being the U.S. ambassador to the UN is not an easy task… We,
the Israeli mission to the UN, always work in cooperation and friendship with
all the American ambassadors.”
Shalev, who was at the United Nations during a challenging
time for Israel, said that on many important issues, Israel and the U.S. stand
together. For example, on the issue of terrorist operations conducted by Hamas,
Hezbollah, and Iran. She also addressed the problems with the UN leadership. “The UN is today, I can say, the
global center of efforts to delegitimize Israel and Israel’s right to defend
itself. And, therefore, the support of the United States, which was always
there since the days of Harry Truman, and the establishment of the state of
Israel, is a given.”
But, Shalev also mentioned that she is a very concerned
citizen of the world and Israel, especially when it comes to how Israel is
judged unfairly. “Everybody, that represents Israel and the U.S., in this noble
arena, is very aware of the double standards against Israel.”
Disappointing to many Israelis was the lack of a US veto,
under the Obama Administration, in the UN Security Council decision regarding Resolution
2334. It will take some time for the Trump Administration to reverse that
decision, which unfairly judged Israel regarding its sovereignty over
settlements in the West Bank (Judea and Samaria), and over its capital city,
Jerusalem.
Some Israelis have been critical of Trump’s recent decision
to initiate a six month presidential waver, resulting in no current effort to support
the 1995 Jerusalem Embassy Act, which compels the U.S. State Department to move
its embassy to Jerusalem. However, even
though unsatisfied by Trump’s decision, a majority of Israelis continue to show
increased support for his policies concerning the Jewish State.
Shalev addressed a question from this writer about the fact
that the American embassy will not be moved at this time. “The person who really dictates the policy is
the president. I am sure that Nikki Haley is going to address it because people
here are very concerned about the politics of Trump.”
Shalev mentioned the promise Trump made during the U.S. elections
last year to move the embassy. She explained that many promises during
campaigns are not fulfilled when the U.S. president comes into the White House
and sees the reality. According to Shalev, Israelis saw Trump’s promise as
symbolic. She mentioned other areas where America
has backed Israel and will continue to uphold Israel’s requests: “We can be
assured of the support of the United States. We will get the support regarding
Israeli building inside the settlements, and also the embassy will, in some
time, move. I think they are concerned by repercussions, and only cautious in
attitude.”
Only time will tell how true to Israel the United States
will be, in terms of long-term policy changes both at the UN and in dialogue
with Israeli government leaders, especially concerning crucial issues connected
to Israel’s capital, and the disputed territories.
Regardless, Nicki Haley seems to stand out more than any
other in the U.S. government, as a true friend of Israel, who isn’t afraid to
speak out against old habits of Israel-bashing at the UN. That kind of
friendship commitment goes a long way in gaining favor with the people of
Israel.
Genesis 22:17-18:
"Indeed, I will greatly bless you, and I will greatly multiply your seed as the stars of the heavens, and as the sand which is on the seashore; and, your seed shall possess the gates of their enemies. In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice."