THE United Nations security council unanimously approved a watered down statement strongly opposing Israel’s continued construction and expansion of settlements on Monday. 

The vote came after high-stakes negotiations by the Biden administration succeeded in derailing a legally binding resolution that would have demanded a halt to Israeli settlement activity.

The Palestinian-backed draft resolution was the subject of frantic talks by senior Biden administration officials, including Secretary of States Antony Blinken, with Palestinian, Israeli and United Arab Emirates leaders.