US Secretary of State John Kerry has put out an interesting explanation for a US veto of a UN resolution recognizing the State of Palestine — he says that Israeli politicians requested a delay until after March elections, saying a vote before then would help Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Kerry told ambassadors of the 28 European Union states that former President Shimon Peres and Tzipi Livni, fired as Justice Minister by Netanyahu earlier this month, made the appeal.
One European diplomat said, “Kerry has been very, very clear that for the United States it was not an option to discuss whatever text before the end of the Israeli election….[Livni] told him that such a text imposed by the international community would reinforce Benjamin Netanyahu and the hardliners in Israel.”
Livni is likely to be part of a centrist coalition challenging Netanyahu’s Likud Party in the Knesset elections. According to the European diplomat, she also warned that a vote would be a pre-election boost for the right-wing Jewish Home Party of Economy Minister Naftali Bennett.
On Thursday, Jordan submitted the resolution for recognition of Palestine, despite the US warnings.
Kerry also was likely trying to check a wave of European support for a State of Palestine. A series of national legislatures and the European Parliament have voted this month for recognition “in principle”.
