Dorothy Shea Repeats Trump-Era Positions, Calls to Disarm Hamas at UN

Watan-Acting U.S. Ambassador to the UN, Dorothy Shea, not only gave a statement before the UN Security Council that was disconnected from the reality on the ground in Palestine, but she also seemed to backtrack on international principles (even if symbolic in terms of implementation), and steps taken by previous U.S. administrations — most notably the Obama administration, which in 2016 allowed for the adoption of Resolution 2334 that declared Israeli settlements illegal.

The Obama administration permitted the resolution just weeks before President Donald Trump assumed office for his first term (2017–2020). Among the resolution’s stipulations was that the UN Secretary-General, through his special representative, submit quarterly reports in open sessions on developments on the ground and settlement activities. The UN Security Council held its periodic session in New York today (Friday), where the U.S. appeared isolated in its stance, as all other member states emphasized the resolution’s importance and binding nature, like all Security Council resolutions.

Dorothy Shea denies Israeli violations, calls to disarm Hamas, and reaffirms Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.

The U.S. delegate began her statement by speaking about the “need for new ideas for a better life for Israelis and Palestinians.” She added, “The Council is meeting today for a briefing on Resolution 2334, which was a mistake to adopt, and discussing it today distracts from and obstructs addressing the core threats to peace and security. It must be reiterated that the resolution focuses on settlement building and its illegality.”

The U.S. diplomat blamed the ongoing war and the resumption of hostilities on Palestinian resistance, saying: “Every death could have been avoided had Hamas accepted the American proposals.” However, she made no mention of the fact that Hamas had remained committed to the agreement, and that it was the American side (which is supposed to be a mediator, not a party) and the Israeli side that reneged on the agreement, with Israel refusing to proceed through the various stages. She emphasized the need for hostages to be released, describing Israel’s actions in Gaza as “self-defense against groups that seek to harm it.” Regarding the West Bank, she stated that the United States supports the efforts of both Israeli and Palestinian Authority security forces “to root out terrorists in Jenin and Tulkarm.”

U.S. Envoy Blames Hamas, Defends Israel at UN

Shea welcomed the Palestinian Authority’s announcement that it would “end the practice of providing financial support to the families of those who carry out terrorist attacks” — referring to the families of Palestinian prisoners and martyrs. She repeated President Donald Trump’s statements that “Hamas must immediately release the hostages or face consequences… We will not negotiate on this. The foundation of the U.S. approach is clear: defending Israel and peace. We acknowledge Israeli efforts to avoid civilian casualties.”

Shea held the Palestinians responsible for their casualties resulting from Israeli attacks. She insisted that the UN Secretary-General and Security Council must call for Hamas to be disarmed. She also claimed that “calls by member states and the United Nations for both sides to respect a ceasefire are unproductive, as they equate the parties and fail to acknowledge that Hamas is at fault for rejecting ceasefire extension proposals and must surrender its weapons — it should have no role in Gaza’s future.” She went on to call for “recognition of reality,” saying that “Jerusalem is the capital of Israel, a move made by President Trump in 2017, and several countries followed suit. Now we must rethink Gaza.” She concluded by attacking Iran, accusing it of destabilizing the region and supporting Hezbollah, the Houthis, and Hamas.

Slovenia Concerned About Military Operations in Jenin

Slovenia’s representative, Samuel Žbogar, expressed concern about military operations in Jenin, noting that images from Jenin and other camps in the West Bank resembled those from Gaza. He warned of growing violence, forced displacement, and a humanitarian crisis in the West Bank, in addition to checkpoints and restrictions on Palestinian movement within the occupied territories. He also expressed concern over continued settlement activity, growing limitations on the political process, and the viability of a two-state solution. He rejected annexation and called for ending the occupation. He emphasized that Security Council resolutions are legally binding for all countries.

UK Rejects Forced Annexation of Palestinian Land

UK Deputy Ambassador James Kariuki voiced strong opposition to Israel’s renewed military operations in Gaza and expressed outrage over the recent targeting of UN facilities, which led to the killing of a UN employee. He stressed the need for Israel to allow humanitarian aid, electricity supplies, and return to implementing agreements and negotiations. He said his country rejects any attempts to annex Palestinian land by force and welcomed the Arab plan regarding Gaza. He also expressed concern over Israeli actions in the West Bank, including the displacement of over 40,000 Palestinians from Jenin, Tulkarm, and surrounding areas in recent months.

Algeria: Peace Was Never on Israel’s Agenda

Algerian representative Ammar Ben Jamaa discussed the Arab initiative, which was met by Israel with indiscriminate bombing and a complete violation of the ceasefire, with no regard for mediators. He referenced Israeli Security Minister statements about “the total destruction of Gaza,” calling it unsurprising, as “peace was never on the Israeli agenda.” He noted that more than 48,000 Palestinians have been martyred in Gaza since October 7, and that Israel has targeted humanitarian workers, killing over 280 aid workers — the vast majority of them Palestinian. He emphasized that Israel does not hide its intentions to displace and uproot the Palestinian people from Gaza and impose full sovereignty over the West Bank.

Russia Highlights Displacement and Settlement Expansion

Russian Deputy Representative Dmitry Polyanskiy spoke about the expansion of Israeli military operations in the West Bank and their consequences. He highlighted the systematic destruction of Palestinian homes, displacement of more than 40,000 Palestinians in recent months in the occupied West Bank, and settlement construction. He called on Israel to halt all settlement activities, remove settlers from the West Bank, and end forced displacement of Palestinians. He stressed that Israeli actions aim to undermine the two-state solution.

Palestine: Israel Committing War Crimes and Ethnic Cleansing

Palestinian Ambassador Riyad Mansour spoke about Israel’s war crimes and ethnic cleansing in the West Bank, alongside massacres and genocide. He said the destruction of Palestinian camps aims to uproot Palestinians from their land and homes. He accused Israel of deliberately causing destruction to force displacement and achieve annexation. He stated that, although most countries continue to oppose Israeli policies, practical implementation through concrete steps remains absent.

UN Briefing

Acting UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Sigrid Kaag, presented the Secretary-General’s report on the implementation of Resolution 2334 (2016). She began by stating that the resolution demands Israel “immediately and completely cease all settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem,” and to “fully respect all its legal obligations in this regard.” She noted, however, that settlement activity has continued at a high