{As New Zealand prepares to launch new peace efforts, Israel accepts new diplomat despite past dispute regarding dual role as Palestinian envoy.}<\/p>\n
Israel and New Zealand have resolved a diplomatic dispute that had prevented New Zealand’s new ambassador from taking up his post for more than half a year. <\/p>\n
Israel last September prevented Ambassador Jonathan Curr from presenting his credentials after learning that he would also serve as New Zealand’s envoy to the Palestinians.<\/p>\n
At the time, Israel said it had a “well-known policy” of not accrediting diplomats who are also accredited to the Palestinian Authority. <\/p>\n
New Zealand’s foreign ministry announced in February that it had appointed a separate envoy to the Palestinians, effectively ending the spat. President Reuven Rivlin’s office says Curr is scheduled to present his credentials on Thursday. <\/p>\n
New Zealand is now a new member of the UN Security Council member and is working on a draft resolution to revive long-stalled peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians. <\/p>\n
France has begun consultations on a text that would outline the parameters of an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal, but Ambassador Jim McLay said that New Zealand\u2019s friendship with Israel and the Palestinians means it could make a contribution. <\/p>\n
\u201cNew Zealand wants this Security Council to focus on a practical outcome – and we have been working on a text that might serve the purpose of getting negotiations started,\u201d said McLay. <\/p>\n
The ambassador emphasized that the timing was right to move forward, after the Israeli elections and before the United States becomes embroiled in the campaign for the presidency in 2016. <\/p>\n
McLay added that New Zealand was open to supporting the French initiative \u201cif it has a chance of succeeding,\u201d but he made clear that action was needed soon. <\/p>\n
The move from New Zealand, which was elected as one of the 10 non-permanent members last year, reflected growing impatience within the council over the failure to agree on a UN approach for the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. <\/p>\n
The United States voted against the resolution, but did not resort to its veto power after the measure failed to garner the required nine votes for adoption. <\/p>\n
Australia also voted against the resolution, while Britain, Lithuania, Nigeria, Rwanda and South Korea abstained following a round of telephone calls from US Secretary of State John Kerry.<\/p>\n
The Security Council in December rejected a resolution that would have set a two-year timetable to achieve an Israeli-Palestinian settlement paving the way to a Palestinian state.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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