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Donald Trump tells Israel 'to stay strong' Donald Trump tells Israel 'to stay strong'
(35 minutes later)
US President-elect Donald Trump has urged Israel to "stay strong" until he assumes office next month.US President-elect Donald Trump has urged Israel to "stay strong" until he assumes office next month.
In comments referring to last week's UN Security Council vote which criticised Israeli settlement building on occupied land, he complained Israel had been treated with "disdain and disrespect".In comments referring to last week's UN Security Council vote which criticised Israeli settlement building on occupied land, he complained Israel had been treated with "disdain and disrespect".
It is his latest unprecedented outburst on the social media network Twitter. The comments came in his latest outburst on Twitter.
Critics have urged the president-elect to use more conventional channels to communicate on international matters. It comes ahead of a speech on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict by US Secretary of State John Kerry.
On Friday, the US chose not to veto a UN Security Council resolution calling for an end to Israeli settlement construction. On Friday, the US chose not to veto a UN Security Council resolution calling for an end to Israeli settlement construction, leading to an angry response from Israel.
In two tweets issued on Wednesday morning New York time, Mr Trump said: "We cannot continue to let Israel be treated with such total disdain and disrespect.In two tweets issued on Wednesday morning New York time, Mr Trump said: "We cannot continue to let Israel be treated with such total disdain and disrespect.
"They used to have a great friend in the US, but... not anymore. The beginning of the end was the horrible Iran deal, and now this (UN)! Stay strong Israel, January 20th is fast approaching!""They used to have a great friend in the US, but... not anymore. The beginning of the end was the horrible Iran deal, and now this (UN)! Stay strong Israel, January 20th is fast approaching!"
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu replied on Twitter: "President-elect Trump, thank you for your warm friendship and your clear-cut support for Israel!"
Critics have urged the president-elect to use more conventional channels to communicate on international matters.
In his speech, Mr Kerry is expected to set out his vision for ending the Israel-Palestinian conflict, and address what a senior state department official described as "misleading critiques" of the Obama administration by the Israeli government.
The issue of Jewish settlements is one of the most contentious between Israel and the Palestinians, who see them as an obstacle to peace.
More than 500,000 Jews live in about 140 settlements built since Israel's 1967 occupation of the West Bank and East Jerusalem. The settlements are considered illegal under international law, though Israel disputes this.More than 500,000 Jews live in about 140 settlements built since Israel's 1967 occupation of the West Bank and East Jerusalem. The settlements are considered illegal under international law, though Israel disputes this.
The UN Security Council resolution passed on Friday stated that the establishment of settlements "has no legal validity and constitutes a flagrant violation under international law and a major obstacle to the achievement of the two-state solution and a just, lasting and comprehensive peace".The UN Security Council resolution passed on Friday stated that the establishment of settlements "has no legal validity and constitutes a flagrant violation under international law and a major obstacle to the achievement of the two-state solution and a just, lasting and comprehensive peace".
The US decision to abstain infuriated Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose spokesman said on Tuesday that he had "ironclad information" from Arab sources that the White House had helped draft the language of the resolution and "pushed hard" for its passage. The US decision to abstain infuriated Mr Netanyahu, who has also taken diplomatic reprisals against the countries that voted in favour of the resolution.
A US state department spokesman replied that the accusation was "just not true", but he hoped the resolution would "serve as a wake-up call" for Israel. Meanwhile, an Israeli committee has postponed a vote to authorise construction of almost 500 new homes in Jewish settlements in occupied East Jerusalem.
The move apparently follows a request from Mr Netanyahu's office.