PNA seeks expanding help to tackle Jewish settlement issues

The Palestinian National Authority (PNA) is considering to ask other countries for help get resolution on settlements pass through the UN Security Council, after Egypt decided not to submit it, a senior Palestinian official said Friday.

"Ramallah was shocked by Cairo's decision to ask for postponing the vote because it was unilaterally made without a coordination with the Palestinian side," the official said on condition of anonymity.

He said that Venezuela, Senegal, Malaysia and New Zealand have expressed readiness to replace Egypt.

The official also slammed Egypt for its decision, saying "it was a painful strike to the Palestinian efforts to gain a resolution that obliges Israel to put an end to settlement expansion in the Palestinian territories."

The Palestinian official, however, denied any resulting tense relations between the two sides.

Reyad al-Malki, the PNA minister for foreign affairs, said earlier in a press statement that reports say the United States would abstein from the anti-settlement voting. Endit