Ramallah, occupied West Bank – The Palestinian Authority has backed off from pressing for a draft UN Security Council resolution condemning illegal Israeli settlement activities after pressure from Washington, according to multiple reports.
The UN Security Council session, which will focus on “the situation in the Middle East” and the “question of Palestine”, is scheduled to take place on Monday at 10:00 am in New York (15:00 GMT).
Reuters news agency said on Monday that the United Arab Emirates, which drafted the draft resolution with Palestinian Authority officials, had asked the Security Council to drop the resolution and vote on it.
Several other US and Israeli news agencies reported, citing diplomatic sources, that the Palestinian Authority agreed to cancel further voting under pressure from the US government, including promises of a financial aid package as well as a temporary suspension of advertisements for new Israeli settlement units. . Demolition of Palestinian homes.
” [US Secretary of State Antony] The Associated Press reported on Sunday, citing “diplomats familiar with the talks,” that Blinken reiterated his offer to the Palestinians of an American stimulus package to get them to drop the resolution, or at least delay it.
The report added that “these temptations included a meeting between Abbas and President Joe Biden at the White House, a decision to reopen the US consulate in Jerusalem and a major aid program,” adding that “Abbas did not participate.”
Latest report published Axios news siteIn addition, “Israel has agreed to several economic measures that will increase Palestinian tax revenues by more than $60 million annually.”
Security coordination with Israel
The site also said the Palestinian Authority had agreed to “enter talks on resuming security coordination with Israel,” a controversial policy that includes sharing intelligence on militants and publicly declaring that it helps Israel thwart attacks. The Palestinian Authority suspended “security coordination” in the wake of the deadly Israeli raid on the Jenin refugee camp last month.
She added that the Palestinian Authority began implementing a “security plan” proposed by US officials to “restore control in the cities of Jenin and Nablus in the West Bank,” where armed Palestinian resistance has been escalating for more than a year.
The Palestinian Authority did not issue any official statement regarding this information, but local media quoted a Fatah official as saying that “the measures that the Palestinian Authority will take will only serve the interests of the Palestinian people.”
Al-Jazeera contacted officials in the Palestinian Authority, but did not receive a response until the time of publication of this news.
In an interview with Al JazeeraVeteran Palestinian politician Mustafa Barghouti said the PA’s decision to withdraw the vote “contradicts the Palestinian national struggle.”
We reject equality between two parties, one of which is an aggressor and occupier, and the other lives under occupation and apartheid. Some say we need to focus on diplomatic and political resistance, so why was the resolution withdrawn? Even diplomatic resistance is forbidden? Even resistance based on international law? ”
“We call on the Palestinian Authority not to agree to withdraw the decision,” Barghouti added.
The situation on the ground has become increasingly tense in recent months under Israel’s new far-right government, which has taken steps to further inflame tensions, including by dramatically increasing home demolitions in East Jerusalem. major demolitions. . Bloody raids on Palestinian cities.
Most recently, on February 13, the Israeli government approved the “legalization” of nine outposts and announced plans to consolidate thousands of new illegal settlement units, prompting the United Nations Security Council to pass a resolution.
The Palestinian Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the decision crossed “all red lines” and undermined the revival of the “peace process”.
The United States criticized Israel’s decision to expand the settlements, but at the same time it expressed reservations about inciting the United Nations to condemn the decision.
Meanwhile, Israel told the United States on Monday that it would not allow new settlements to be established in the coming months.
The Palestinian Authority, which has limited pockets of control, claims the 1967 occupied territories of the West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip as a future Palestinian state.
About 700,000 Israeli settlers live in illegal settlements in occupied East Jerusalem and the West Bank.
In response to the UN Security Council’s abandonment of the vote, Martin Konicny, head of the European Middle East Project, said: “Anyone who presents this as a diplomatic success for the United States is taking a very narrow and biased position.”
He added: “The Palestinians are the ones who surround the United States with weapons to abandon any completely legitimate decision and marginalize the Security Council as the guardian of the international system and protector of Israeli expansion.”
