Hey Conservatives! John Bolton also rebuked Israel’s settlement policy at the U.N.

Conservative Republicans today lined up together to denounce the Obama administration’s offer to support a U.N. statement criticizing Israel’s settlement policies. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), the Chair of the House Foreign Affair’s Committee, issued a statement that read:"Support for this anti-Israel statement is a major concession to enemies of the Jewish State and other free ...

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Conservative Republicans today lined up together to denounce the Obama administration's offer to support a U.N. statement criticizing Israel's settlement policies.

Conservative Republicans today lined up together to denounce the Obama administration’s offer to support a U.N. statement criticizing Israel’s settlement policies.

Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), the Chair of the House Foreign Affair’s Committee, issued a statement that read:"Support for this anti-Israel statement is a major concession to enemies of the Jewish State and other free democracies. It telegraphs that the U.S. can be bullied into abandoning critical democratic allies and core U.S. principles."

But the Bush administration has also joined with its U.N. colleagues in urging Israel to stop its construction of new buildings. None other than John R. Bolton, one of Israel’s most enthusiastic champions, urged an end to Israel’s settlements policies while serving as president of the Security Council in February 2006, just days after an electoral victory by Hamas fueled concerns of instability in the region.

"The Security Council underlines the need for the Palestinian Authority to prevent terrorist attacks and dismantle the infrastructure of terror," Bolton said in a statement on behalf of the 15-nation council. "It reiterates its view that settlement expansion must stop and its concern regarding the route of the barrier."

So what does Bolton think now about the latest U.S. move? Earlier today, Bolton tweeted: "Obama’s reported offer to rebuke Israel in UN Security Council will embolden Israel’s enemies at time of dangerous instability in region."

You betcha.

Follow me on Twitter @columlynch

Colum Lynch was a staff writer at Foreign Policy between 2010 and 2022. Twitter: @columlynch

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