President-elect Donald Trump's pick for secretary of state Rex Tillerson denounced the Obama administration Wednesday for a range of moves against Israel and reiterated vows made by the president-elect to bolster relations with the Jewish state.
Tillerson criticized a United Nations resolution, passed in December with an abstention from the United States, that describes the West Bank and east Jerusalem as occupied Palestinian territory and says that Israeli construction in those areas is illegal. The resolution received bipartisan condemnation in both chambers of Congress for prejudging the outcome of bilateral negotiations, among other critiques.
"The U.N. resolution that was passed, in my view, is not helpful," Tillerson said during his Senate confirmation hearing.
"This issue has to be settled between the Israelis and the Palestinians, and no one can be coerced into coming to the negotiating table," he said. "To force one party to the table through coercion, or however you want to describe the most recent resolution, is not useful."
While affirming his hopes for a two-state solution, Tillerson said it "remains to be seen" whether it could become reality.
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01.13.2025