<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?><oembed><version><![CDATA[1.0]]></version><provider_name><![CDATA[Occupied Palestine | فلسطين]]></provider_name><provider_url><![CDATA[https://occupiedpalestine.wordpress.com]]></provider_url><author_name><![CDATA[occupiedpalestine]]></author_name><author_url><![CDATA[https://occupiedpalestine.wordpress.com/author/hajarhajar/]]></author_url><title><![CDATA[Arab Nations Decide to Submit Draft Resolution on&nbsp;Settlements]]></title><type><![CDATA[link]]></type><html><![CDATA[<p><span class="article-details"><span class="article-detail">Tuesday January 18, 2011 12:03</span><span class="article-detail"> by Alessandra Bajec &#8211; IMEMC &amp; Agencies</span></span></p>
<blockquote class="article-intro"><p><strong>Arab envoys resolved to present a  formal draft resolution opposing Israel’s illegal settlement  construction at the UN Security Council, AFP reported on Tuesday. </strong></p></blockquote>
<p class="photo"><a name="attachment36358"></a> <img class="summary-image" title="Click on image to see full-sized version" src="https://i0.wp.com/www.imemc.org/attachments/jan2011/draft_resolution_pic.jpg" alt="(photo from Press TV)" width="450" height="300" /><br />
(photo from Press TV)</p>
<p class="article">Tunisia&#8217;s  UN envoy Ghazi Jomaa told reporters after their meeting on Monday that  the representatives of Arab nations decided to submit the resolution to  the UN Security Council requesting the condemnation of illegal  settlement building activity in the West Bank before the end of Tuesday.</p>
<p>Jomaa, chairman of the Arab group, explained that the draft demands a  total freeze on Israel&#8217;s illegal construction activities in occupied  Palestinian territories.</p>
<p>The Security Council is scheduled to debate the Middle East and the  Israeli-Palestinian conflict on Wednesday; however a vote is said to be  almost impossible.</p>
<p>Palestinian and other Arab negotiators are reportedly attempting to  pressure the US not to obstruct the motion. Although US President Obama  has strongly opposed Israel&#8217;s settlement building projects, resolutions  condemning Israel are known to be vetoed by the United States.</p>
<p>Nawaf Salam, ambassador of Lebanon and the current Arab representative  in the Security Council, anticipated future meetings would be held to  decide when to press for a vote.</p>
<p>Palestinian ambassador Riyad Mansour stated: &#8220;The American position has  been all along that they don&#8217;t want the Security Council to be involved  in this issue…We tried, we are trying, we will continue to try to show  that it would be very useful for the Security Council to act on this  draft resolution.&#8221;</p>
<p>If passed, the resolution would put pressure on Israel&#8217;s Prime Minister  Netanyahu to curtail Israel’s settlement activity. However, if the US  indicates that it would veto the resolution, Arab states may not call  for a vote in order to avoid a confrontation on the international  platform, diplomatic sources said.</p>
<p>Since copies of the resolution were distributed to the UN Security  Council members last December 17, there have been informal talks with  the major powers.</p>
<p>Britain, France, China and Russia, permanent members of the Security  Council, are thought to have no objections to vote for the draft. The  Palestinian delegation believes 14 of the 15 nations on the council  would support the resolution now.</p>
<p>PLO negotiators see Israel’s settlement activities as a stumbling block  to the start of new direct negotiations. US-sponsored direct peace talks  collapsed last September after Israel refused to extend a freeze on  settlement building. Tel Aviv argues that the construction should be an  issue discussed in direct talks.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.imemc.org/article/60438">Arab Nations Decide to Submit Draft Resolution on Settlements &#8211; International Middle East Media Center</a>.</p>
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