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UN Ambassador Power Dodges on Anti-Israel Resolution Abstention

January 11, 2017

The United States ambassador to the United Nations, Samantha Power, dodged questions Wednesday morning on her abstention vote last month on a Security Council resolution condemning Israeli settlements.

CBS host Charlie Rose asked Power what the consequences would be of the Obama administration's decision to let the resolution pass, which broke with decades of U.S. policy to defend the Jewish state at the U.N. The resolution condemned Israeli settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

"I would hope the consequence is that all the parties on the ground who have not been engaged in talks on a two-state solution for some time get motivated to come back to the table," Power said. "I mean, that was a resolution that enshrined in it opposition not only to settlements but also to violence and incitement of the kind that helps give rise to the kind of attack we saw earlier this week against Israelis."

Power did not address why the U.S. broke with past policy and allowed the resolution to proceed through the Security Council.

Conditions have not improved since the resolution passed, and Palestinian attacks on Israelis have continued in recent days.

Power also discussed the transition to the Trump administration and had praise for South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, who President-elect Donald Trump has nominated to be Power's successor at the U.N.