A resolution against the Israeli settlement in the Security Council of UN

United Nations (New York), correspondent - A resolution condemning the Israeli settlement should be formally filed Tuesday, January 18, from Lebanon - on behalf of Arab countries - the Security Council of the UN. The text, sponsored by the group including non-aligned countries and the Organization of Islamic Conference, has been circulating since December 21 in this mix and could be voted in the coming days.

The Palestinians, who have observer status at the United Nations, hoped at first to enjoy the monthly debate of the 15 member countries on the Middle East, scheduled Wednesday, January 19, to submit the resolution to vote. But the threat of a U.S. veto, they changed their minds and decided to continue their lobbying efforts to try to convince the U.S.

of the merits of their initiative. In the eyes of the Arab Group, a veto-cons would be productive and "kill the resolution," said the Lebanese ambassador to the UN, Nawaf Salam, who said he was "confident" and recalls that "no draft resolution in the annals of the Security Council was never presented with such a large number of sponsors, "more than one hundred member states.

Arguing, like Israel, that only direct talks can produce a result, the U.S. refuses to see the UN involved in this matter and are the only members of the Council to oppose this resolution, whose content "does however reiterate that what the administration has been saying Obama two years," said the representative of Palestine, Riyad Mansour.

The text directs the cessation of Israeli construction of settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, deemed "illegal" and "constituting a major obstacle to achieving a just, lasting and comprehensive peace." Turning to the language used, observers are unanimous or paragraphs containing fragments of old UN resolutions and communiques of the Quartet for the Middle East - comprising the United States with Russia, the EU and the UN - this resolution plunges Americans into trouble.

If the Palestinians claim to have the support of 14 other member countries of the Council, they do not intend to go to the "confrontation" with the United States. "The Obama administration has repeatedly put forward a policy of engagement, we propose a dialogue on the basis of this text," said Nawaf Salam, adding: "We are ready to make any change.

" This invitation to modify or amend the text is so far remained unanswered, Washington denying the very principle of a resolution. The United States traditionally have vetoed any resolution condemning Israel and calling for a halt to settlements, except in April 1980 under Jimmy Carter, who said in reference to the colonies: "We do not think they are legal.

" For his part Barack Obama was beautiful, from the very beginning of his mandate, calling the Jewish state to halt settlement building - calling them "obstacles to peace" - at no time did the administration deemed " illegal. " Today, faced with a Republican majority in Congress, the Democrats could be forced to use the first veto of his presidency against a text saying essentially what he has hammered the last two years, notes researcher Robert Blecher, International Crisis Group in New York.

"If the Obama administration vetoes, says this specialist in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, it will back a lot of allies in the Arab world, if it passes the resolution, it triggers the war in Congress." The Palestinians, who hope for a vote on the resolution to raise the pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, say keep hope.

"Our goal is not to embarrass Barack Obama, but to enjoy the massive international support that we enjoy today to get Israel to act," insists the Palestinian ambassador in Riyadh Mansour. The same day that representatives of Arab countries to the United Nations decide to pass the act, the Secretary General of the UN called for the freezing of settlement activities throughout the occupied Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem " Following the announcement by the Jewish state of a massive new construction project in the southeastern part of the city on 1400 units.

Alexandra Geneste

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