This story originally appeared on jewishinsider.com.
Nikki Haley, President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for U.S. Ambassador to the UN, said on Wednesday that she is committed to longstanding U.S. policy on the issue of settlement expansion.
“I do understand how they think that could hinder peace,” Haley said during her confirmation hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee when pressed on the issue by Senator Tom Udall (D-NM).
“But my question is are you committed to the bipartisan policy on settlements?” Udall pressed the South Carolina Governor.
“Yes, I am,” Haley responded.
Asked by Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) if the incoming Trump Administration is also committed to the longstanding policy on the issue of settlements, Haley said, “I have not heard anything different.”
Haley also stated she supports the two-state solution. But she was quick to point out that the recent UN resolution (UNSC 2334), which assailed Israel for its continued settlement construction, was “very harmful to achieving a two-state solution.”
“We need to let the two bodies resolves this themselves,” she asserted. “That is what has always taken place, and I think it’s dangerous when the UN starts to tell two different bodies what should and shouldn’t happen.”
Last week, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee passed a resolution condemning the United Nations Security Council Resolution 2334. Udall introduced an amendment “reaffirming that it is also the policy of the United States to discourage settlement building.” Kaine and Cory Booker ((D-NJ) were among seven Democrats who supported the revision. Nonetheless, the amendment failed to pass as the other members of the committee including three Democrats — Robert Menendez (NJ), Ben Cardin (MD) & Christopher Coons (DE) — joined the remaining eleven Republican members on the committee to oppose the provision.
Aaron Magid contributed to this report
