From [HERE] Israeli officials are vowing to build thousands of new settlement homes on occupied Palestinian land, in defiance of a United Nations resolution passed Friday condemning such construction as a "flagrant violation under international law." The Security Council vote was 14-0. The United States abstained, denying a veto sought by Israel and President-elect Donald Trump. It is the first resolution the Security Council has adopted on Israel and the Palestinians in nearly eight years. In the video above, Yousef Munayyer, executive director of US Campaign for Palestinian Rights talks on Democracy Now. 

Congressional Republicans are moving swiftly to denounce the United Nations Security Council’ recent action toward Israel, with GOP lawmakers in both chambers preparing to introduce disapproval resolutions aimed at the United Nations as soon as the new Congress convenes.

Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), will introduce a “sense of the Senate” resolution next week disapproving of the Security Council's condemnation of Israeli settlement-building in East Jerusalem and the West Bank, a source familiar with the matter said on Friday. The resolution is intended to be a companion to the expected House action against the U.N. and could place both chambers at odds with the international body as Congress returns next month.

A spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said he had no announcement on whether the chamber would vote on Moran’s resolution or another one like it. Several aides in both parties say there are bipartisan discussions about the Senate censuring the U.N. given the outrage over last week’s Israel vote.

The Senate is expected to quickly proceed to a budget resolution next week, which would give senators the ability to offer unlimited nonbinding amendments at a majority threshold and is often used as a platform for votes on extraneous issues. If a disapproval resolution were introduced and voted upon separately, it could require 60 votes if a senator filibusters it, tying up the Senate floor. [MORE]