On Nov. 24, 2016, Bibi Netanyahu called Russian President Vladimir Putin and explained that the resolution Obama was working to pass would disrupt regional stability and harm Israel. Netanyahu asked Putin to state that he intended to use his UNSC veto to scupper the resolution. But Putin refused. On Dec. 23, 2016, the UNSC passed Resolution 2334, although then-US Ambassador to the UN Samantha Power ultimately abstained.
However, Obama had additional plans, even though he had less than a month left in the White House. He and his staff began working on another UNSC resolution, which would have forced Israel to agree to a Palestinian state based on the 1948 borders. Israel’s UN ambassador at the time, Danny Danon, sounded the alarm.
Netanyahu again sought help from Putin. In another phone conversation, he explained to Putin that Obama’s new resolution would do serious harm to Israel and could destabilize the region.
Putin was convinced and told Netanyahu that if the resolution came to a vote, Russia would veto it.
According to what Netanyahu said in the closed meeting, Obama was informed of Russia’s intention to veto the American move. Obama realized that if Russia vetoed a US resolution in order to protect Israel, it would be a fatal blow to the US’s image as an ally of Israel and its standing in the Jewish community. Therefore, Obama decided to shelve the resolution, Netanyahu said.
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