Dick Durbin Blocks Senate Move To Condemn UN Resolution on Israeli Settlements
Staying Mum: Senators Schumer, Menendez, Reid and Durbin are some of the Democrats who have not been outspoken about the Iran deal. Image by Getty Images
By Ron Kampeas January 26, 2017
WASHINGTON (JTA) — One or more Democratic senators are holding up a resolution condemning last month’s United Nations Security Council condemnation of Israel’s settlement expansion in the West Bank.
Jewish Insider reported Wednesday that Sen. Richard Durbin, D-Ill., was behind the hold. It cited Sen. Tom Udall, D-N.M., who told the newsletter that the Senate resolution’s language is objectionable because it does not recognize that settlements are an obstruction to peace, and that should Durbin lift his hold, he would place his own hold.
Jewish Insider could not confirm the hold with Durbin’s office. JTA has confirmed that there is a hold in place and that at least one and as many as four Democrats are responsible.
The resolution, similar to one passed earlier this month in the U.S. House of Representatives, was approved by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, with all Republicans and three Democrats voting for it and seven Democrats voting against.
Udall, among those who voted against, had introduced an amendment that would have reaffirmed “that it is also the policy of the United States to discourage settlement expansion” and would have removed language condemning the Obama administration for allowing through the U.N. Security Council resolution.
In an action alert, the Republican Jewish Coalition urged its members to call into Durbin’s office to “stop playing games with Israel’s security.”
Individual senators may put a hold on most types of legislation. It takes 60 senators to override a hold.
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