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US Vehemently Rejects Attempts to De-Legitimize Israel

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With its commitment to support Israel across the UN system, the United States of America today underlined that it vehemently rejects attempts to de-legitimize the State of Israel.

In her remarks at Miami in Florida, Assistant Secretary for Bureau of International Organization Affairs Esther Brimmer

discussed Obama’s Administration’s far-reaching efforts to normalize Israel’s status in and across the UN, and to counter head-on efforts of de-legitimization.

Barack Obama and Netanyahu in the Oval Office, 18 May 2009.

She stresses that US diplomatic engagement with Israel in multilateral affairs, at the UN, is rooted in an ironclad commitment by President Obama to support Israel across the UN system, ensure that Israel’s security is never compromised and that it has the opportunity to contribute fully to all institutions to which it belongs.

“That’s why we vehemently reject attempts to de-legitimize the State of Israel.” -Ms. Brimmer

She cites that as the President Obama stated at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, “Israel’s existence must not be a subject for debate,” and “efforts to chip away at Israel’s legitimacy will only be met by the unshakeable opposition of the United States.”

“We have opposed unbalanced, one-sided resolutions, at the UN General Assembly, the Security Council, UNESCO, the International Atomic Energy Agency, the UN Human Rights Council and elsewhere.” -Ms. Brimmer

She cites that the Administration strongly opposed last month at the Human Rights Council the creation of a fact-finding mission regarding settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

The United States also opposed the deeply flawed and biased Goldstone Report, and voted against multiple resolutions on the flotilla incident at the Human Rights Council.

“On the Goldstone Report and flotilla, we have been clear that we want to see UN action end in relation to the report.” -Ms. Brimmer

The U.S. helped to organize the diplomatic effort to defeat the Israel Nuclear Capabilities Resolution at the September 2010 IAEA General Conference, Ms. Brimmer noted.

On September 2011, a decision was made by certain member states not to bring up the Israel Nuclear Capabilities resolution at the 2011 IAEA General Conference.

She says over the past 3 years the Administration has worked day in and day out multilaterally at the UN and elsewhere on critical peace and security issues of great concern to the United States and Israel, including counter-terrorism and non-proliferation.

The United States has been successful in achieving American objectives, mobilizing international partners and leveraging the full range of multilateral institutions.

To cite an example, the Obama Administration has marshaled significant international action against countries of great security concern to the U.S. and Israel – Iran and Syria across the UN system, Ms. Brimmer said.

At the UN Security Council, the United States led efforts to adopt a resolution that strengthens sanctions on Iran.

At the Security Council and throughout the UN System, in the face of high diplomatic hurdles, the United States has mobilized countries from every region to take principled stands on these pressing issues.

Ms. Brimmer emphasizes that these efforts demonstrate that US commitment to defend Israel throughout the UN system, both in countering biased anti-Israeli actions and in opposing those who seek platforms to expand anti-Israel efforts at the UN, remains strong.

She notes that sespite the difficulties that Israel faces at the UN, one thing has remained constant in my discussions with my counterparts in the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs: they continue to express and implement their strong desire to expand Israel’s global agenda across the UN and multilateral system.

“Israel wants to play a larger role globally, multilaterally and at the UN.” -Ms. Brimmer

Israel does not want to be viewed solely through the prism of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, she added.

Indeed, the United States is working with Israel to advance its multilateral engagement agenda, and move beyond the focus on contentious political and security issues, with the aim of addressing the issue of delegitimization and Israel’s treatment at the United Nations, Ms. Brimmer underlined.

The US government has worked with Israel to support the appointment of Israelis to UN positions, like Frances Raday who was chosen as an Expert Member of the Human Rights Council’s Special Working Group to eliminate discrimination against women.

In December 2011, Ms. Brimmer states that US government helped to secure the passage of Israeli-sponsored technical resolutions on Agricultural technology, a similar resolution with our assistance also passed in 2007 and 2009.

“Our efforts to work with Israel at the UN have been seriously tested.” -Ms. Brimmer

However, Ms. Brimmer underlines that the United States strongly opposes efforts to address final status issues at the United Nations rather than in direct negotiations.

The two state solution is not going to happen through a shortcut at the United Nations, and that’s what this Administration has been strenuously arguing, Ms. Brimmer said

According to Ms. Brimmer, the United States has worked consistently toward the goal of achieving the two-state solution.

The United States has been closely engaged with the parties and our international partners, including the Quartet, to support the parties as they take steps to re-engage and rebuild channels of communication.

The US government continues to make clear to its partners internationally that premature action in the UN system outside the framework of direct negotiations will not bring them or the parties closer to a negotiated two-state solution.

Rather, it is likely to damage the very UN entities the Palestinians seek to join, the countries these UN programs support and as a result could seriously undermine U.S. security interests, she added.

On October 31, the UNESCO General Conference adopted a resolution that invited “Palestine” to become a member of UNESCO.

“Palestinian action triggered a U.S. law suspending our contributions to that organization.” -Ms. Brimmer

Since the founding of the UN, the U.S. has been at the table influencing key decisions at the UN, of concern to the U.S., and particularly those related to Israel, Ms. Brimmer stressed.

“We cannot afford to cede the floor to emerging powers and adversaries, such as Iran and Syria, which do not share our values and would be more than happy to undermine U.S. and Israeli interests.” – Ms. Brimmer

She stresses that these countries want nothing more than to see the United States retreat from the UN, withdraw from UN bodies, and lose its influence and leadership positions and potentially its vote in key UN bodies.

In June 2011, the United States of America stressed its ironclad commitment to the security of Israel.

Assistant Secretary Esther Brimmer of Bureau of International Organization Affairs reiterated President Obama’s statement which says, “The bonds between the United States and Israel are unbreakable – and the commitment of the United States to the security of Israel is ironclad.”

“As the President said on May 19, “For Palestinians, efforts to delegitimize Israel will end in failure. Symbolic actions to isolate Israel at the United Nations in September won’t create an independent state.” -Ms. Brimmer

The United States maintains extensive military cooperation and assistance to Israel, which helps maintain Israel’s qualitative military edge over potential threats. U.S.-Israel cooperation is one pillar in the Administration’s unparalleled strategic partnership with Israel.

The commitments of the two countries are enduring and go well beyond their strong bilateral ties.

U.S. government strongly opposed unbalanced, one-sided resolutions, at the UN General Assembly, the UN Human Rights Council, UNESCO, and elsewhere.

Mina Fabulous follows the news, especially what is going on in the US State Department. Mina turns State Department waffle into plain English. Mina Fabulous is the pen name of Carmen Avalino, the NewsBlaze production editor. When she isn’t preparing stories for NewsBlaze writers, she writes stories, but to separate her editing and writing identities, she uses the name given by her family and friends.

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