Morocco, replacing Lebanon on the United Nations Security Council, wasted no time in raising the issue of Israeli settlements after a closed door Security Council meeting on January 10th about the unrelated topic of Children and Armed Conflict. As the United States representative is reported to have pointed out, Morocco's request was "ill-timed and counter-productive." Morocco's decision to begin its tenure on the Security Council by carrying the Palestinians' torch on the Israeli settlements issue is also the height of hypocrisy, considering Morocco's continuing illegal occupation of the Western Sahara territory and repression of its people who yearn for self-determination.
