Menendez: Qaddafi "Stands for Nothing and for No One Other Than Himself"

Statement

With news reports that UN Ambassador Susan Rice offered to support a draft statement affirming that the Security Council "does not accept the legitimacy of continued Israeli settlement activity" during UN negotiations today, US Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) is urging the Obama administration to reconsider its offer and veto a resolution that would essentially fuel anti-Israeli sentiment by condemning Israel's activities in the region:

"There are only two parties that are competent to address the issue of settlements and two parties that can move the negotiations forward. The U.S. role is in facilitating those negotiations, encouraging the parties, and using its voice and vote to object to any action that threatens to derail progress. Today, the U.S. lost sight of its role in this process and instead facilitated and encouraged anti-Israeli sentiment by conceding an argument that was not ours to concede. The United States must stand by its ally Israel and veto this flawed United Nations resolution. "

"Moreover, the merits of any peace proposal between the Israelis and the Palestinians must always be weighed against the assurances Israel requires for its security, which is especially apparent given the current turmoil in the Middle East. Israel's right to exist and defend itself is inalienable and must be explicitly recognized by its Arab neighbors and the United Nations."

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