n US and Israel have lost face because of the latest vote The US veto of a UN Security Council resolution that called Israeli settlements illegal was a disappointment but one which could have been expected. If there is a silver lining to this cloud, it is that the vote, which saw only the US in opposition, made clear just how isolated the US and Israel are when it comes to the issue of settlements. The Palestinians should continue to press for UN resolutions on the settlements with the expectation that eventually even the US will allow the world's opinion to be expressed, and Israel will meet the condemnation it deserves. In typical double-speak, the US ambassador to the UN, Susan Rice, insisted that the US veto should not be construed as support for further construction. US policy supposedly opposes the settlements but says that a resolution should be arrived at through peace negotiations, not binding resolution. The problem with that is that there has been no success in halting settlement construction through peace negotiations or any other method. There was a short moratorium on settlement activity, but as soon as its scheduled expiration arrived, the Israelis returned to unbridled settlement building, approving new projects in East Jerusalem and elsewhere. The Palestinians have refused to return to the negotiating table until the settlements have been halted, a stance that has prompted little but derision from the Israeli side. Recognition of Palestinian statehood is coming at an unprecedented clip from nations around the world, both the developed and the developing world. The US-Israeli alliance is a powerful one, and one which is likely to last well into the future. But even the US cannot dictate the political realities of the 21st century. The Palestinians have every right to explore every avenue open to them to halt the obscenity of settlements on Palestinian land. The US and Israel have lost face because of this vote. It is a first step toward change. __
