Arab bloc rescinds proposal to have UN vote against Israeli settlements 

By Shlomo Shamir
July 25, 2008
Haaretz 
Original Source: https://mail.hudsonny.org/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1005285.html \t _blank http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1005285.html
	
NEW YORK - The United Nations' Arab bloc has decided to rescind its initiative to have the Security Council vote on a proposal to oppose Israeli settlement expansion, sources at the UN reported Thursday. 

The proposal, which had originally been drafted by Libya and was circulated by Arab countries over a month ago, includes vehement condemnation of Israel for its continued settlement-expansion policy, and calls on the Israeli government to immediately halt all settlement construction. 

However, the United States alongside France, Britain, Belgium and Croatia - all of them Security Council member states - opposed the draft from its inception and harshly criticized it for being too specific. 

U.S. officials said it was inconceivable that a UN Security Council vote concerning the Middle East would address only a single issue and not include other components, such as terror, Gaza calm, or the opening of Gaza crossings. 

The officials offered that the Arab bloc change its original draft and have it address broader Middle East concerns.