Hezi Bezalel (file)
Hezi Bezalel (file)Flash90

The Palestinian Authority (PA)'s draft resolution calling for Israel to withdraw from Judea-Samaria failed in a UN Security Council vote Tuesday night - and an Israeli businessman may have contributed to the resolution being shelved. 

Businessman Hezi Bezalel has been working in the past few weeks behind the scenes to ensure that the draft resolution would fail to gain crucial support, Arutz Sheva has learned Wednesday.

Only eight countries supported the proposal: Russia, China, France, Jordan, Chad, Luxembourg, Argentina and Chile. The United States and Australia opposed. Five countries abstained: United Kingdom, Rwanda, Nigeria, Lithuania and South Korea.

Bezalel operates primarily abroad, mostly in Africa, and has a special relationship with the leaders of those countries. Bezalel currently serves as honorary consul of Rwanda in Israel.

This is not the first time that Bezalel has worked for the State of Israel in the UN and in African countries. In recent years, he has quietly helped defend Israel from foreign interests looking to harm the Jewish state. 

Foreign Ministry officials refused to comment on the report but noted after being questioned by Arutz Sheva that "we thank all those who acted here, especially regarding the Israeli delegation to the United Nations."

The Prime Minister's Office refused to detail the activities of Hezi Bezalel in the political arena but said that Netanyahu held yesterday talks with the presidents of Rwanda and Nigeria, where he reportedly asked for help in thwarting Palestinian attempts to embarrass Israel in the international arena.

Sources close to Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman said that the countries who abstained in which the foreign minister has spent the most time in the last few years and strengthened ties with them.

During the first term of Netanyahu's government in 2009, the Foreign Minister made a number of visits, which included trips to Ethiopia, Kenya, Ghana, Nigeria and Uganda.

Last June, Liberman returned to the continent and visited Rwanda, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Ethiopia and Kenya.