Palestinians Push Obama Not to Veto Anti-Israel UN Resolution on Settlements

"The Palestinian Authority is interested in coming to an understanding with the outgoing administration of U.S. President Barack Obama that would avoid an American veto of a United Nations Security Council resolution that the Palestinians intend to introduce in January, Palestinian officials and Western diplomats told Haaretz. The resolution would be critical of Israeli settlement activity in the West Bank and in East Jerusalem.

A high-level Palestinian delegation is scheduled to arrive in Washington in the coming week, led by senior Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat and the head of the Palestinian general intelligence service, Majid Faraj. The delegation also includes the future Palestinian ambassador in Washington, Husam Zumlut, President Mahmoud Abbas' senior adviser, as well as a number of high-level officials from Abbas' Fatah party and from the Palestine Liberation Organization.

The delegation will be coming to the U.S. capital to participate in a strategic American-Palestinian dialogue session, the first of its kind ever to be held. The more important meeting, however, will be that of Erekat, Faraj and other members of the delegation with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry. The main item on the agenda is expected to be the resolution, which the Palestinians are currently discussing with members of the UN Security Council. The Palestinian visitors will also be meeting with representatives of the Republican Party and with advisers of President-elect Donald Trump...

The Palestinians have already shared a non-final draft of their resolution on settlements with several UN Security Council members in New York. Western diplomats who have read it said its major provisions are as follows:

A. The draft states that the settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem are illegal under international law and an obstacle to peace. A separate clause says the settlements endanger the prospects of a two-state solution to the conflict based on the 1967 borders.

B. The draft demands that Israel put a total halt to settlement construction and any other activity related to the settlements.

C. Section 5 of the draft states that members of the United Nations must avoid providing Israel any assistance that can be used directly for activity related to the settlements...

D. The new draft resolution calls for a halt to any acts of violence against civilians, including terrorism, as well as provocative acts and incitement, and calls for those responsible for such acts to be put on trial.

E. Section 8 calls upon all countries to act to revive direct negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians based on clear terms of reference, to last for a year..."