The UN condemned illegal Israeli settlements, now what?

On Friday, the United Nations Security Council formally voted to condemn Israeli settlement activity for the first time since 1979.

The 15-member UN body voted 14-0 in favor of the resolution, with the United States notably refraining from using its veto and abstaining from casting a vote.

Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat called the decision a "victory for international law." He said that the resolution tells Israel that peace will not come "through occupation."

But, while many have hailed this as a victory for Palestine, its unclear whether it will actually bring concrete change. Here's a look at what the UN vote means in practical terms and how the Israeli government has reacted so far.

Although the vote is definitely a symbolic victory for Palestine, enshrining the international communities condemnation of illegal settlements, it will be difficult – if not impossible – to enforce.

Sharif Nashashibi, a London-based analyst of Arab political affairs, told Al Jazeera that there isn't "any mechanism to put tangible pressure on Israel to abide by this resolution." He suggested that this will likely become another resolution that Israel simply ignores.

And predictably, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu issued a statement after the vote saying that his government "will not abide by its terms." 

Settlements have long been considered illegal under international law and previous UN resolutions have criticized Israel over its continued construction. This hasn't stopped the Israeli government from allowing them to move forward.

Israel is also expected to defiantly approve hundreds of new settler homes. Some Israeli media are even reporting that as many as 5,600 new homes might be approved in response to the resolution.

On Sunday,  Israel's Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman announced that Israel would be cutting its civilian coordination with Palestinians as a punitive action.

In response, Saeb Erekat, secretary general of the executive committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization, called on Israel "to seize the opportunity, to wake up, to stop the violence, to stop settlements and to resume negotiations."

Netanyahu recalled his government's ambassadors to Senegal and New Zealand immediately following the vote.

These two countries along with Venezuela and Malaysia formally brought the resolution to a vote on Friday. But, Venezuela and Malaysia do not have diplomatic relations with Israel, due to their support of Palestine.

Initially, Egypt proposed the resolution and it was due to be voted on last Thursday. But after pressure from U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, it withdrew the resolution, although it voted in support of it on Friday.

Israel also summoned all the ambassadors representing security council countries. The U.S. ambassador to Israel was summoned last.

Netanyahu said that he has cut about $7.8 million in aid to five UN institutions, promising to cut more soon. 

He also said that he instructed the Israeli Foreign Ministry to reevaluate all of its contacts with the UN, "including the Israeli funding of UN institutions and the presence of UN representatives in Israel."

Additionally, Israel cut all aid programs to Senegal following the vote. Previously, Israel has touted positive relations with the African country, but that has quickly soured.

Squarely blaming U.S. President Barack Obama for the resolutions passage, Netanyahu said: "We have no doubt that the Obama administration initiated it."

He argued that the U.S. decision to abstain from vetoing the resolution goes against longstanding American policy. "Friends don't take friends to the Security Council," Netanyahu said, explaining he told this to U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry.

But, Israel sees a promising ally in U.S. President-elect Donald Trump. Prior to the vote, >Trump strong-armed Egypt into withdrawing the resolution. He has also appointed a pro-Settlement Zionist to be the new U.S. ambassador to Israel under his administration, promising to move the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem.

After the resolution passed, Trump took to Twitter, ensuring his followers things would change at the UN after he takes office.