The U.N. Security Council, although diligent in adopting 40 resolutions since 1967 on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, has been ineffective in implementing its resolutions, Palestinian Ambassador Riyadh Mansour told the council on Thursday. “For various reasons, including lack of follow-up and implementation of its resolutions and excessive use of the veto at critical junctures, the council has regrettably been unable to effectively exert its authority with regard to this conflict,” said Mansour. Mansour noted he was happy with the role the U.N. General Assembly has played in continuing to put pressure on Israel, specifically its request to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to render an advisory opinion on the legality of the Israeli separation barrier. “Unfortunately, until now, the Security Council has remained silent on the issue of the unlawful construction of the wall in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem, [and] has not acknowledged or utilized the ICJ's advisory opinion in this regard,” said Mansour.
