Netanyahu summons U.S. ambassador in fallout over UN voteDecember 26, 2016 - 11:26 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu summoned U.S. Ambassador Daniel Shapiro Sunday, December 25 two days after Washington abstained in a vote on a UN resolution against Israeli settlements. Their meeting came after Israel earlier Sunday called in 10 representatives of 14 other states that voted for the resolution. An official Israeli source confirmed only that Netanyahu and Shapiro had met, without elaborating on the content or outcome of their discussions. The UN Security Council passed the measure Friday after the United States abstained, enabling the adoption of the first resolution since 1979 to condemn Israel over its settlement policy. The resolution demands that "Israel immediately and completely cease all settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian territory, including east Jerusalem". It says settlements have "no legal validity" and are "dangerously imperilling the viability of the two-state solution." Netanyahu, who also holds the foreign ministry portfolio, had rejected the resolution as a "shameful blow against Israel." On Sunday, he repeated Israel's claim that U.S. President Barack Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry were behind it. "We have no doubt that the Obama administration initiated it, stood behind it, coordinated the drafts and demanded to pass it," the premier said at the beginning of the weekly cabinet meeting. Related links: Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | Putin congratulates Pashinyan’s birthday Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on his birthday on June 1. Opposition motorcade en route to Gyumri for large rally A motorcade of protesters headed by Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan is heading to the city of Gyumri. Ruling MPs, Foreign Minister talk Armenia-Azerbaijan processes MOs from the ruling Civil Contract party met with the Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan in the Armenian parliament. Russia: Armenia’s frozen membership weakens CSTO position in Caucasus A Russian envoy said any step that could alienate the CSTO member states from each other is “deeply wrong”. |