The US ambassador to the U.N., Samantha Power testified on the Hill on April 2, and conservatives’ reports have emphasized her statement that it is not in the U.S. interest to defund UN organizations that accept Palestine as a state, despite a new US law calling for that action. Power said the Palestinians should get a waiver on that law.
“In the event that the Palestinians seek and obtain membership in a U.N. agency, the last thing that we want to do is to give them a double win,” she said. “And it would be a double win for them to secure a win in an agency on the one hand, and then the exclusion of the United States from that very agency, leaving the agency at the mercy of leadership from Russia, China, Cuba, Venezuela – the countries that tend to fill the space when we depart.”
Later during the hearing, Power again made the case for a waiver.
“The American people and the United States are so much better off when the United States is in good standing within these organizations, defending our interests, fighting for our friends, and not surrendering the playing field to those that would like nothing more than for the United States not to be in these organizations.”
But other comments Power made were sharply critical of the Palestinian Authority; she said she has a monthly meeting with the Israelis to look out at the sea of international bodies, and threats. A friend sent another transcript of her comments, from the one hour mark of the House hearing above, in responding to Debbie Wasserman Schultz (who is the chair of the Democratic National Committee):
On the Palestinian question, I just would underscore that we will oppose attempts at upgrades in status anywhere. We are in very close touch now, we have a monthly meeting with the Israelis where we look out at the sea of international organizations and U.N. entities, including treaty bodies and treaties and so forth, and coordinate with them, and also try to understand whether they’re prioritizing in particular ways sort of– on the lines of what you’re suggesting.
The ICC is of course something that we have been absolutely adamant about. Secretary Kerry has made it very, very clear to the Palestinians, as has the President. I mean, this is something that really poses a profound threat to Israel. It is not a unilateral action that will be anything other than devastating to the peace process, which is again where all of our efforts should be placed right now. Before the peace negotiations started, between the two parties, restarted, with Secretary Kerry’s and the president’s leadership, we were fighting on every front, I mean, for sure, contesting unilateral efforts on every front, and that is what we would do in any event, because we don’t think that this is a productive approach, we don’t think there are shortcuts, and we know that this can be an effort to delegitimate Israel, at the same time it’s an effort to upgrade Palestine’s status.
I think my point on the waiver and the funding issue [to UN agencies that Palestine joins] is that the American people and the United States are so much better off when the United States is in good standing within these organizations, defending our interests, fighting for our friends, and not surrendering the playing field to those that would like nothing more than for the US not to be in these organizations. We’re not punishing the Palestinians if we cut off funding to these agencies, we’re punishing US interests. And that is why, again, we need to deter precisely the moves … The spirit behind the legislation is to deter Palestinian action, that is what we do all the time and that is what we will continue to do, but we cannot surrender the vast range of US interests in the process.
What a two-faced creep we have as an Ambassador. One answer to Tina Brown, and another to DWS, and Congress.
“she said she has a monthly meeting with the Israelis to look out at the sea of international bodies, and threats.”
Wonder if she meets with the Palestinians monthly to look at the same issues…..
A threat to Israel? How can the Palestinian threat of going to ICC be a threat to Israel unless — OMG ! — Israel has been (can it be?, Oh!, say not so, Samantha!) doing criminal stuff? Oh, say not so, Samantha, say not so. Here is a high USA official accusing Israel of at least arguably criminal behavior! This is indeed newsworthy!
And devastating to the peace-process? Well, why should that be so? Cannot Israel (and PA) do two things at once? Cannot they chew gum and walk at the same time? Cannot they appear before ICC at the same time they do whatever it is they do during those interminable PP sessions?
The spirit behind the legislation is to deter Palestinian action, that is what we do all the time and that is what we will continue to do
lol, she can’t get anymore blatant than that.
Power “The ICC is of course something that we have been absolutely adamant about. Secretary Kerry has made it very, very clear to the Palestinians, as has the President. I mean, this is something that really poses a profound threat to Israel.”
This would not be a threat this would be a means of holding Israel accountable for decades of human rights crimes. The U.S. including Powers and the Obama administration continue to give Israel cover while they build more illegal settlement units. Enough…
Have you ever heard Powers say or do anything that would indicate in any way shape or form that she even thinks about being a fair broker?
At the UN hearings having to do with Russia’s aggressive actions in Crimea Powers strong words about “territorial integrity” the breaking of international laws regarding sovereignty were absolutely absurd. Does anyone think that when Kerry or Powers bring up these issues that they are unable to recognize how incredibly hypocritical their words are and how the whole world sees this?
Lowey mentions that during Powers nominations hearing she had said she would try to change “eliminate anti-Israel bias” at the UN. Israel deserves all of those biases based on their actions. Telling that Powers came right out and said she would be Israel’s lackey at the UN. Guess that would be the case for all U.S. Ambassadors to the UN.
Powers must be getting the effort to “eliminate anti Israel bias” right back in her face. One would think an honest broker (which she is clearly not) would actually confront Israel on being in violation of more UN resolutions than any other nation, Israel’s persistent unwillingness to sign the NPT and the Chemical Weapons Treaty, human rights crimes, unwillingness to allow international observers via U.S. UN votes to block any effort. That is what the international community has continued to point out at the UN.
Powers acts like the attitude towards Israel is unwarranted. What an Israeli lackey she is.
Has anyone heard the latest from Bennett? “We are currently preparing war crimes charges against Abu Mazen (Abbas) on two [different] rationales…” Yeah, that kind of talk is sure to keep him at the negotiating table.
Only the problem is that in order to get Abbas on war crimes Israel would have to resign the Rome Statute, which would open their people up to similar accusations which they don’t want. But don’t worry about that, Naphtali, bring it on!
Then there is this: “I think my point on the waiver and the funding issue [to UN agencies that Palestine joins] is that the American people and the United States are so much better off when the United States is in good standing within these organizations…”
Translation: If we defund them then we won’t have any means to apply blackmail or other monetary pressure!