Trump’s Move Departs From U.N. Resolutions on Jerusalem

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/07/world/middleeast/united-nations-jerusalem.html

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President Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel not only upends decades of American policy. It also appears to put the United States at odds with the United Nations Security Council.

The 15-member council has adopted a number of resolutions, dating back 50 years, aimed in part at preventing Israel from claiming sovereignty over all of the holy city.

That could make for awkward diplomatic dynamics on the council, where none of the other members share Mr. Trump’s position on Jerusalem.

Eight members, including Britain, France and Italy, allies of the United States, have called for an emergency meeting of the council on Friday to discuss Mr. Trump’s declaration.

Many supporters of Israel have long accused the United Nations of bias against it, a criticism that the United States ambassador, Nikki R. Haley, has echoed and vowed to change.

As Israel’s strongest ally at the United Nations, the United States often has used its veto power to block Security Council resolutions critical of Israel. But there have been exceptions, including for resolutions concerning the status of Jerusalem.

Here are some notable examples of resolutions that the United States supported or did not block with a veto:

Resolution 242, Nov. 22, 1967: Israel was told to withdraw forces from territories occupied in the 1967 war, which included the eastern part of Jerusalem.

Resolution 252, May 21, 1968: Israel was told to rescind “actions that tend to change the status of Jerusalem,” including the expropriation of land and property.

Resolution 465, March 1, 1980: Israel was warned to stop settlement construction and to disband existing settlements in territories occupied in the 1967 war, including Jerusalem. Such acts, the resolution said, amounted to “a flagrant violation” of the Geneva Convention’s protections of civilians in wartime.

Resolution 478, Aug. 20, 1980: Israel was censured for having enacted a law declaring a change in the status of Jerusalem, which “constitutes a violation of international law.” Countries that had established diplomatic missions in the city were called upon to remove them.

Resolution 672, Oct. 12, 1990: During the first intifada, or Palestinian uprising, Israel was called “the occupying power” in Jerusalem and was condemned over the deaths of more than 20 Palestinians in violence at holy sites in the city on Oct. 8.

Resolution 1073, Sept. 28, 1996: Israel was warned about archeological tunneling near Jerusalem’s holiest site, revered by Jews as the Temple Mount and by Muslims as the Noble Sanctuary. Palestinians were enraged at what they viewed as a sacrilege.

Resolution 1322, Oct. 7, 2000: Israel was condemned over deadly violence arising from a visit to the Temple Mount by Ariel Sharon, then the Israeli opposition leader, which the resolution described as a “provocation” that had led to the deaths of more than 80 Palestinians.

Resolution 1397, March 12, 2002: Both sides were called upon to halt violence and re-engage in peace talks with the goal of a two-state solution, “side by side within secure and recognized borders.” The resolution called on both sides to adopt recommendations of a fact-finding committee, led by the former senator George J. Mitchell, that included a freeze on Israeli settlements and cooperation to protect holy sites in Jerusalem and elsewhere.

Resolution 2334, Dec. 23, 2016: Israel was condemned for settlement construction in occupied territories including East Jerusalem. The settlement construction “has no legal validity and constitutes a flagrant violation under international law and a major obstacle to the achievement of the two-state solution,” the resolution said.