The Latest: Israeli minister slam’s Kerry’s upcoming speech

JERUSALEM (AP) — The Latest on the aftermath of the U.S. allowing an anti-settlement resolution to pass through the U.N. security council (all times local):

1 p.m.

An Israeli minister says U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry’s planned policy speech Wednesday on Israeli-Palestinian peace is a “pathetic move” and “anti-democratic.”

Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan told Israel Army Radio that if Kerry lays out principles for a peace deal, as he is expected to do in his speech, it will limit President-elect Donald Trump’s ability to set his own policy on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Erdan said Obama administration officials are “pro-Palestinian” and “don’t understand what’s happening in the Middle East.”

He said the Obama administration’s refusal to veto a recent U.N. Security Council resolution, which calls settlements a flagrant violation of international law, “threatens the security of Israel.”

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12 p.m.

A senior leader of a Jewish settlement council is calling U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry “a stain on American foreign policy” and “ignorant of the issues.”

Oded Revivi, chief foreign envoy of the Yesha Council, made the remarks ahead of Kerry’s final policy speech on Mideast peace Wednesday.

Revivi said Kerry is “the worst secretary of state in history” who “chose to stab his closest ally in the back” and knows little about the realities of Israeli settlements in the West Bank.

Israel is angry the U.S. allowed a resolution to pass in the United Nations Security Council calling settlements a “flagrant violation” of international law. Israel accuses the U.S. of orchestrating the resolution.

Kerry oversaw failed Israeli-Palestinian peace talks in 2013-2014.

Source: AP