Saying he was “disappointed” that the Palestinian Authority resolution to force Israel out of “occupied” lands failed by one vote at the UN Security Council, President Mahmoud Abbas signed the Rome Statute to join the International Criminal Court.
Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.) said today that Abbas’ signature means all U.S. funds to the Palestinians should be immediately suspended.
“The latest destructive actions by Abu Mazen and the Palestinian Authority reaffirms, once again, that Abu Mazen is not a real partner for peace,” Ros-Lehtinen said. “By attempting to bring a flawed resolution to the UN Security Council and by signing the Rome Treaty, Abu Mazen only reiterates that he is not willing to return to direct peace negotiations with Israel without pre-conditions.”
“It’s time for the Obama administration to show Abu Mazen and the PA that there will be consequences for their irresponsible behavior and continued efforts to undermine the peace process. Congress must do everything in its power to block funds to the PA and to any UN entity that recognizes a non-existent State of Palestine to make it clear to Abu Mazen that there will be consequences to his schemes at the United Nations and other international organizations like the International Criminal Court.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement that “it is the Palestinian Authority – which is in a unity government with Hamas, an avowed terrorist organization that, like ISIS, perpetrates war crimes – that needs to be concerned about the International Criminal Court in the Hague.”
“We will take steps in response and we will defend the soldiers of the IDF, the most moral army in the world,” Netanyahu vowed. “We will rebuff this additional attempt to force diktat on us just like we rebuffed the Palestinian appeal to the UN Security Council.”
State Department spokesman Jeff Rathke told reporters yesterday that Secretary of State John Kerry viewed the Security Council resolution as “unconstructive and ill-timed.”
“We of course support a two-state solution achieved through negotiations between the parties,” Rathke said. “That’s clear and our longstanding policy.”
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