Itongadol/AJN.- The president of the American section of the World Jewish Congress (WJC), Evelyn Sommer, spoke with AJN about resolution 2334 that condemns Israeli settlement policy and said it was "an initiative driven by the US government", although "most of the American Jewish community voted for the Democratic party".
Sommer said "there was no need for the Barack Obama administration, who in 20 days leaves the government, to behave this way on the Security Council", and noted that they are working so that after the conference about Middle East there is no other similar resolution in the UN in France.
-¿How did WJC took the resolution of the UN?
-We are very worried, because this initiative of the government of Barack Obama distances our vision from a peace in the Middle East. The fact that they took the resolution to the Security Congress surprised us, but the truth is that the possibility of doing it has been existing for a few months. We knew that Secretary Kerry and president Obama were preparing to do something. There were a few possibilities in his program of action and the introduction of a resolution in the Security Council was one of them.
-¿What impact does it have on North American Jewish people?
-This resolution has a very serious impact, because it denies the jewish roots of Jerusalem, of the West Wall, of all the old Jewish neighborhood in Jerusalem, saying that it is an settlement and not a part of 3000 years of Jewish history. That is the historical impact. But it also has an impacto n our relationship with president Obama and all the leaders of the Democratic Party. There is no doubt that this has left an impression for a long time.
– ¿How did the result of the recent presidential elections in the United States influence the resolution?
-I do not think that it has had anything to do with the presidential elections. In fact, although the president elected, Donald Trump, has very good relations with many members of the american Jewish community, they voted for the Democratic party, not for the Republican.
-¿Would you read it as betrayal from Barack Obama?
-Yes, I would. The truth is that there was no need for the administration, which in 20 days will leave the White House, to behave in that way in the Security Council. It was an initiative stimulated by the North American Government.
-¿How much help does the American Jewish establishment provide to re-compose the future?
-All the Jewish organizations, the whole Jewish community was taken by surprise with this initiative. We are fighting very much against the opposition and we hope that the Security Council will not manage to make any other resolution in the next 20 days because they are preparing the conference in France, which is going to be carried out on January 15th on this issue. There might appear something that also could go to the Security Council before January 20th. The whole Jewish community and the Jewish establishment are fighting actively against any new step that still the American Government is determined to give on this topic. The secretary of State, John Kerry, presented today an evolution of the American vision, especially the Middle East matter and after this evaluation they are going to take part in the conference in France. This subject did not finish with the last resolution.
-There are some rumors about Kerry conceding a "Palestinian State"…
-There are all kinds of rumors, but the truth is that until January 20th many things can happen. This resolution in the Security Council is not a final step. It was very negative and it removes any possibility of peace. The whole world also is surprised because of the fact that the Israeli prime minister has resigned and with so strong words. However, the whole Israeli people and the Jewish people in general take everything that has happened very seriously, like an assault that it has to increase BDS\’s campaign, the anti-Semitism. It is not going to do anything to help in the process of peace.