The US rejected the appointment of former Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad to lead the UN Mission in Libya [official website], despite official reports that all other 14 members of the UN Security Council [official website] approved the appointment. The US ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley, expressed disappointment [Al Jazeera report] on Friday over the the plan to appoint Fayyad, saying that the US stands firmly behind Israel and does not like the message this appointment would send. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said [statement] this choice “was solely based on Mr. Fayyad’s recognized personal qualities and his competence for that position. United Nations staff serve strictly in their personal capacity. They do not represent any government or country.” The appointment would require a unanimous vote of all 15 members of the Council, but it is not yet clear whether Haley’s objections ended Fayyad’s candidacy.

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has been at the forefront of recent international news and reports. Earlier this month, a UN rights expert recommended [JURIST report] that the UN Security Council and the General Assembly act to ensure Israel complies with Security Council resolution 2234, which confirms that Israeli settlements in already occupied Palestinian territory violate international law. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, in a recent letter, warned [JURIST report] US President Trump, shortly before he took office, against moving the US embassy in Israel to Jerusalem. That same month, Human Rights Watch claimed [JURIST report] that some senior Israeli politicians are calling for Israeli soldiers and police to kill Palestinians whom they suspect of harming Israelis, even if the suspects are not currently dangerous