Palestinians seek early UNSC vote

A UN resolution on Israeli settlement activities could be put on vote as early as next week since the Palestinians started to negotiate the draft resolution with Security Council envoys.

The Palestinian representative to the UN, Riyad Mansour, said he started meetings with Security Council envoys on Wednesday on the draft resolution drawn up with the backing of Arab states, AFP reported.

“Now we are having talks about the drafting language,” Mansour said.

“There could be a vote on January 19, but it could be before, as early as next week, if countries are ready,” he went on to say.

The resolution would condemn Israel’s settlement activities and reiterate an existing UN demand for all building work in the occupied territories to stop.

“There are already 191 countries at the United Nations who believe that the settlements are illegal,” Mansour further explained.

The United Nations Security Council is to debate the Middle East on January 19.

Mansour also rejected reports suggesting that the resolution was aimed at preventing the resumption of talks with Israel, saying it could open the path to return to negotiations.

“We think that the resolution would bring us back to the path of talks,” the Palestinian representative noted.

Direct talks between Israel and the PA once again reached a deadlock after Tel Aviv refused to extend a moratorium on settlement constructions in the occupied West Bank.

Palestinians have demanded Israel freeze settlement construction, arguing that the continuation of settlement activities reduces the chance of establishing an independent Palestinian state.