Credit: Gary Raynaldo /  ©Diplomatic Times /   Ambassador Kelly Craft  Permanent Representative  U.S. Mission to the United Nations  addresses reporters outside  United Nations Security Council  chambers at world headquarters in  New York, New York  after meeting on the  Israeli-Palestinian conflict   January 21, 2020.

By Gary Raynaldo       DIPLOMATIC TIMES

UNITED NATIONS  –  NEW  YORK –  Addressing the “unrelentless criticism of Israel”,   Ambassador Kelly Craft  Permanent Representative  U.S. Mission to the United Nations called on the UN Security Council Tuesday  to change this dialogue and talk about promoting peace and security in the Middle East.   The UN Security Council held its quarterly open debate on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question.  During the Security Council meeting,  Rosemary DiCarlo, Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs expressed concern about continued Israeli settlement activity, and members also reiterated their positions on this issue. With the political process deadlocked, DiCarlo  said “negative developments” continue to undermine prospects for a two-State solution, including Israel’s expansion of settlement activity and threats to annex parts of the West Bank.  

“You know, blaming Israel or really talking about the malign behavior of Iran? And, you know, you look no further than the families of the 176 victims of that plane crash and you understand their behavior and it’s unacceptable to be killing their own people, their neighbors, you know, arming Hizbollah and the Houthis, and most definitely propping up the Assad regime. So I think we need to call it where it is and we need to stop criticizing Israel; if you’re going to promote peace and security in the region then you need to be talking about Iran. 

-U.S. Ambassador Kelly Craft 

DIPLOMATIC TIMES  Video  /   Ambassador Kelly Craft  Permanent Representative  U.S. Mission to the United Nations  addresses reporters outside  United Nations Security Council  chambers at world headquarters in  New York, New York  after meeting on the  Israeli-Palestinian conflict   January 21, 2020.

Ambassador Craft accused Iran of being “the behavior”  that is actually preventing  peace and security in the Middle East.