UN council urged to condemn Israel

18 January 2011
Morning Star
http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/index.php/news/content/view/full/99946

ARAB states put a formal resolution to the UN security council today demanding a condemnation of Israel's illegal settlement construction in the occupied territories. 
Diplomats said that no vote was expected for several days as Palestinian and other Arab, which would give negotiators time to persuade the US not to sink the initiative. 
The Obama administration routinely vetoes resolutions which condemn Israel. 
The American position has been all along that they don't want the security council to be involved in this issue, Palestinian ambassador Riyad Mansour said. 
We tried, we are trying, we will continue to try to show that it would be very useful for the security council to act on this draft resolution. 
We hope that the US does not obstruct this effort at the security council, particularly after Israel's new move to approve another 1,400 housing units in Arab east Jerusalem, he added. 
The other permanent members of the security council - Britain, France, China and Russia - are not expected to veto the motion, and the Palestinian mission believes 14 of the 15 states on the council would back it now. 
A United Nations committee on Palestinian rights called onMonday for the international community to take steps to compel Israel to end its illegal settlement activity in occupied Palestinian territory, including east Jerusalem. 
The future of the peace process hangs in the balance, the Bureau of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People said in a statement. 
The group voiced great alarm at the recent upsurge in Israeli settlement activity, despite repeated international calls for a complete cessation.