"The U.S. State Department sharply criticized on Monday the Palestinian plan to submit a draft resolution at the UN Security Council, calling for an end to the occupation and the creation of a state by 2017.
"The move 'is not constructive, sets arbitrary deadlines and fails to account for Israel's security needs,' the State Department said.
"The U.S. State Department announcement comes after Secretary of State John Kerry spoke on Sunday with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in a final attempt to delay the submission of a Palestinian resolution to the United Nations Security Council.
"Abbas told Kerry that he was determined to go ahead with the resolution, despite the international pressure on him, and that he wanted the earliest possible vote.
"Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also referred to the Palestinian initiative during a meeting on Monday with the Indiana Governor Mike Pence, who is currently visiting Israel.
"'We expect the entire international community, at least its responsible members, to strongly oppose this dictate to the UN and the Security Council. What we need is direct negotiations and not dictated terms,' Netanyahu said..."