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Palestinian FM: UN Security Council to hold special sessions on Israeli settlements

Xinhua, October 10, 2016 Adjust font size:

Palestinian Foreign Minister Riad al-Malki said on Monday that the United Nations (UN) Security Council will hold two special meetings this month on Israeli settlements on Palestinian territories.

Al-Malki expressed the hope that the meetings, scheduled for Oct. 15 and Oct. 24, would yield clear directives on the required steps to be taken, reported Palestinian public radio, Voice of Palestine.

"The Palestinian side will speak strongly about the issue and that we no longer accept the international condemnation statements alone, since it does not enter Israel, but actually catalyzes its steps toward diminishing possibilities to establish the Palestinian state," Malki said.

The top Palestinian diplomat said that a draft resolution against settlements would be submitted by Palestinians after "consultation with member states, including Russia, which is currently chairing the council."

He said talks on the topic have already started.

Al-Malki also expressed the hope that an Arab Quartet meeting, involving Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain, would yield tangible results before the end of this month in order to have the draft resolution ready for voting.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said last week that the Palestinian leadership is preparing to submit a draft resolution to the UN Security Council on Israeli settlements on Palestinian territories.

Israeli settlement construction is one of most complicated issues in Palestinian-Israeli negotiations.

Al-Malki said French special peace envoy Pierre Vimot is likely to visit Palestine within one week.

Vimont will brief Palestinian officials on French efforts and preparations ahead of an international peace conference that is expected before the end of this year, al-Malki said.

Paris hosted an international meeting on June 3, attended by the foreign ministers of 25 countries, including four Arab countries, on reviving the stalled peace process between Israel and Palestine.

The process has remained stalled since April 2014, when U.S.-sponsored talks between Israel and Palestine ended with no tangible results, despite nine months of efforts. Endit