Graham: ‘Provocative action’ by the UN ‘must be dealt with sternly and forcefully’

by Nikita Vladimirov - 12/23/16 1:04 PM ET

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) on Friday criticized a vote by the United Nations on a resolution demanding an end to Israeli settlements as a “provocative action” and suggested it could lead to reduced U.S. financial assistance.

“This provocative action by the United Nations is an outrage and must be dealt with sternly and forcefully,” Graham said in a statement.

{mosads}”If the United Nations moves forward with the ill-conceived resolution, I will work to form a bipartisan coalition to suspend or significantly reduce United States assistance to the United Nations,” Graham said.

“In addition, any nation which backs this resolution and receives assistance from the United States will put that assistance in jeopardy,” he added.

The U.N. Security Council is expected to vote on the measure at 3 p.m. The vote was originally scheduled for Thursday but was postponed by its sponsor, Egypt, after it came under pressure from Israel.

The measure has outraged Republicans on Capitol Hill, as well as the Israeli government. It is unclear if the Obama administration will veto the measure.

“There is a reason the United States has long opposed these type of efforts directed at Israel,” he said, adding that long-term peace can only be achieved by “the parties negotiating directly and not using the United Nations as a blunt instrument against Israel.”

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