Palestinians 'speed up' bid for Security Council resolution against Israeli settlements

"The Palestinian Authority intends to accelerate its attempt to pass a United Nations Security Council resolution against Israeli settlement activity in the West Bank, according to WAFA, the Palestinian News and Information Agency.

'The Palestinian leadership and in cooperation with the Arab League and the Arab ministerial group will hold contacts at the international level to speed up convening a Security Council session that should pass a resolution to stop settlements, which pose unprecedented and serious threat and creates a situation that would result in grave consequences,' said Nabil Abu Rude, who is a spokesman for PA President Mahmoud Abbas.

Israeli Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon condemned the announcement, reiterating Jerusalem's stance on such unilateral moves.

'Once again Palestinian leaders are turning to the UN instead of accepting our repeated invitation to negotiate directly,' he said.

'These attempts will do nothing to better the lives the average Palestinian and should be utterly rejected by the international community," he said. Only a complete halt of Palestinian incitement and an end to all terror attacks against Israel will lead to the possibility of a real diplomatic process.'..."