We’re Going to the UN

A PLO official says US Secretary of State John Kerry’s efforts to restart negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians will not stop the Palestinians from seeking recognition for Palestine from the United Nations Security Council. He warned that if, as expected the US vetoes the resolution, “they will have to bear the consequences of no peace and no security.”

PLO Executive Committee Member Wasel Abu Yousef says Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas said that Kerry had talked to him about his plan to restart talks on the sidelines of a Norwegian-sponsored donor conference in Egypt to rebuild the Gaza Strip after seven weeks of fighting between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.

The PLO has said it is open to meaningful initiatives based on international law that aim to put a time frame on ending Israel’s control of the West Bank. The Palestinians have already circulated a draft resolution that calls for Israel to “end the occupation”, meaning a withdrawal from the entire West Bank, Gaza Strip and east Jerusalem by November, 2016. Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has repeatedly said that Israel will never withdraw to the pre-1967 lines.

Secretary Kerry has reportedly asked the Palestinians to postpone turning to the UN for one year while he tries to rekindle negotiations that would lead to an agreement. Palestinians say they refuse to hold off any longer.

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