Israel: White House behind UN rebuke

JERUSALEM— Doubling down on its public break with the Obama administration, a furious Israeli government on Tuesday said it had received “ironclad” information from Arab sources that Washington actively helped craft last week’s UN resolution declaring Israeli settlements in occupied territories illegal.

The allegation, which was denied by the State Department, further poisoned a toxic atmosphere between Israel and the outgoing administration in the wake of Friday’s vote, raising questions about whether the White House might take further action against settlements in President Barack Obama’s final weeks in office.

Hopeful

With the US expected to participate in an international peace conference in France next month and Secretary of State John Kerry planning a final policy speech on Wednesday, the Palestinians hope to capitalize on the momentum.

Israel’s nationalist government is banking on the incoming Trump administration to undo the damage with redoubled support.

Although the US has long opposed the settlements, it has generally used its Security Council veto to protect its ally from censure.

On Friday, it abstained from a resolution calling settlements a “flagrant violation” of international law, allowing it to pass by a 14-0 margin.