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Sunday 8 January 2017

Protesters turn out to condemn UN Security Council resolution on Israel

Jonathan Arkush, president of the Board of Deputies, tells rally that the resolution is a "disgrace" and attacks UK government for backing it

Demonstrators fly Israeli flags outside Parliament in protest at the UN resolution
Demonstrators fly Israeli flags outside Parliament in protest at the UN resolution 

A rally against the UK's support for the UN resolution condemning Israeli settlements has taken place in central London.
Around 150 protesters responded to a call from the Zionist Federation and other Jewish groups to show opposition to the "biased" resolution passed by the Security Council last month.
Demonstrators on Sunday afternoon held aloft ZF produced banners stating : "UK! Don't Endorse UN Bias Against Israel".
Speakers included Joanathan Arkush, president of the Board of Deputies and Colonel Richard Kemp, the former UK commander in Afghanistan.
To loud applause Mr Arkush told the crowd: "I want to be clear from the start resolution 2334 is a disgrace.
"Its original proposer Egypt dropped it.
"It was rescued by such human rights luminaries as Venezuela and Malaysia.
"It succeeded in passing in an act of spite by a lame duck United States administration whose Middle Eastern policy has been a disaster for America and for the world.
"Therefore I want to know, our community wants to know how on earth did a UK government come to vote for it."
Mr Arkush also spoke of fears that Prime Minister Theresa May had been "blindsided" over the vote by British diplomats at the UN.
He revealed that the messaged Theresa May on Christmas Day to express his "anger" over the role of Britain in the passing of the resolution.
Col Kemp warned that the UN Security Council could take further action against Israel during a planned meeting on January 17.
He told the crowd there was a possibility of a "resolution 2334 extra".
Departing US President Barack Obama was pushing for the move just three days before he left office, Colonel Kemp said.
"A next resolution is being planned now by Barack Obama. He intends to put the new resolution before the UN Security Council which demands that Israel is defined with the 1967 borders and that the State of Palestine is recognised by the UN.
"It is currently slated to take place on January 17 - but obviously people are working to try and stop it.
"By people I mean the Israeli government and people around President Trump."
Col  Kemp said he believed Malaysia was the prime sponsor of the new resolution.
Also speaking at the rally, which took place opposite the House of Lords in Westminster, were Simon Johnson of the Jewish Leadership Council and Paul Charney, chairman of the Zionist Federation.
Mr Johnson said: "The United Nations has once again shown its obsession with Israel... at a time when there has been slaughter in Syria and Iraq."
He also claimed the wording of the resolution represented an attempt by the UN to "delegitimise" the Jewish state's claim to holy sites in Jerusalem, Hebron and elsewhere.
Mr Charney also received applause when he called for more condemnation by the UN of Palestinian terrorism.
He said: "They say the settlements are an impediment to peace - well how about terrorists, knife attackers, suicide bombers as an impediment to peace.
"Surely the education of the youth in the Palestinian territories is an impediment to peace.
"Where is the resolution on this, the UN resolution against the hatred."
Last week the JC revealed how British diplomats played a key role behind the scenes in pushing for UN resolution 2334.
In the US the Obama administration also refused to exercise the power of veto.
Theresa May is believed to favour a new strategy of highlighting concerns about settlements in order to win over Palestinian power brokers.

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