Abbas freezes draft resolution on Israeli settlements following pressure

Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas has frozen a draft resolution that was due to be discussed by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) regarding Israeli settlements as a result of Israeli and international pressure, a senior PA official told AlKhaleejonlone.com on Sunday.

“The PA should have filed the proposal to the UN Security Council at the beginning of this month,” the official, who preferred to remain anonymous, told AlKhaleejonline.com, noting the proposal was “temporarily” frozen until further discussions.

The official also said that Egypt should have raised the draft resolution with the UNSC after discussing its final draft with the Palestinian side but the “head of the PA” decided to freeze it without specifying a future submission date.

A similar proposal was raised to the UNSC in 2001, but the US aborted it by imposing its veto. AlKhaleejonline.com expected this would happen again.

On Sunday, Safa news agency reported that the PA Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki had denied the PA had distributed a draft copy of the resolution to UN Security Council members.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu criticised Abbas for the draft resolution on Friday, saying: “This is a measure that distances peace talks. The only way to push forward the peace process is direct negotiations.”

The Israeli Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon said: “The Palestinians continue deceiving the international community through raising initiatives that do not benefit any party.”