Arabs to take Israel defiance to UN

Nabil Shaath, a Palestinian negotiator speaking to the media on February 3, 2010

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/156213.html


Arab countries will submit a draft resolution to the UN, protesting Israel's defiant construction of illegal settlements on the occupied Palestinian lands.

Nabil Shaath, a Palestinian negotiator said on Saturday that the draft would be sent to the United Nations Security Council or the world body's General Assembly, should it face a US veto in the former, Xinhua reported.

Both UN branches can impose sanctions on the parties, who refuse to abide by the organization's resolutions, he said.

Shaath, however, claimed that it is “difficult” for the United States to stand in the way of the resolution "after it has publicly opposed the settlement."

The UN and the European Union have underlined the illegality of the settler units under the international law.

Tel Aviv refused to extend a partial freeze on the settlement activities in late September, thus stalling direct talks with the Palestinian Authority (PA) that had resumed earlier that month in the United States.

The Palestinians say that the settlement construction is being carried out to prevent the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.

Also on Saturday, Salam Feyadh, the PA's caretaker prime minister denied that the Palestinians could unilaterally declare a state -- a speculation which is currently being promoted through a media fanfare, AFP reported.

"What we're looking for... is a state of Palestine, we're not looking for yet another declaration of statehood," he said.

"We're not looking for a Mickey Mouse state, we're not looking for some form of self-rule, we're looking for a sovereign state of Palestine, where we Palestinians can live as free people."