NEW YORK: A final version of a proposal calling for a peace deal between Palestine and Israel is being sent for a vote to the 15-member UN Security Council, according to UN sources.
Originally submitted by Jordan in mid-December, the draft resolution also calls for an end to the occupation of Palestinian territories by 2017.
The Group of Arab States met in New York on Monday to discuss amendments proposed by Palestine, all of which were approved, UN Radio reported.
Jordanian Permanent Representative to the UN, Dina Kawar, explained the issues they covered.
“There’s the issue of Jerusalem, there are other issues concerning the prisoners, water, settlements, and the illegitimate wall that was condemned by the international court.”
The revised draft could ultimately create a Palestinian State based on 1967 border lines.
Nine Security Council votes are needed to adopt the resolution, as long as no nation holding the power of veto opposes it. The vote is expected to take place in the coming days. Britain joined the United States on Tuesday, declaring that it cannot support the draft proposal.
Washington said it could not support the draft because it was not constructive and failed to address Israel’s security needs.
British UN Ambassador Mark Lyall Grant was asked by reporters whether his delegation could support the Palestinian draft.
?Well no,” he said. “There’s some difficulties with the text, particularly language on time scales, new language on refugees. So I think we would have some difficulties.”
Lyall Grant did not explicitly threaten to use Britain’s veto power to help block the Palestinian text if it is put to a vote.
Western diplomats have said that if the draft is voted on before the new year it will likely fail to muster the required minimum nine yes votes for adoption.
That would mean neither Britain nor the United States would need to use their vetoes.
WAM/Agencies
