PA begins campaign to amass support for Israeli withdrawal resolution

So far, only seven permanent members have thus far announced their intention to vote in favor of the proposed resolution.

By KHALED ABU TOAMEH
PEOPLE MARCH as they hold a large Palestinian flag in Ramallah in October (photo credit: REUTERS)
PEOPLE MARCH as they hold a large Palestinian flag in Ramallah in October
(photo credit: REUTERS)
The Palestinian Authority said on Sunday that it would begin consultations with various parties to secure their support for the draft resolution that was presented to the UN Security Council last week.
PA officials said that the consultations are aimed at paving the way for a vote on the draft resolution, which calls for an Israeli withdrawal to the pre-1967 lines and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with east Jerusalem as its capital.
The officials said that until now they have not been able to secure the required nine votes of the Security Council permanent members. According to the officials, only seven permanent members have thus far announced their intention to vote in favor of the proposed resolution.
Abbas Zaki, a senior Fatah official, said that some countries were seeking to delay the vote in the Security Council on the Palestinian statehood resolution.
He said that the US was one of those countries working to postpone the vote.
“There are American efforts to prevent a vote on the resolution,” Zaki, who is close to PA President Mahmoud Abbas, said. He claimed that Washington was still opposed to the draft resolution despite the changes introduced to its wording.
Zaki said that despite the US opposition, the Palestinians were determined to ask the Security Council to hold a vote on the resolution in the near future.
The Palestinian envoy to the Arab League, Mohamed Sbaih, called on the US to refrain from vetoing the resolution when it is brought for a vote at the Security Council.
Sbaih said the Palestinians and some Arab countries have begun consultations with various international parties to secure their backing for the Palestinian statehood bid.
He warned that the Palestinians would seek membership in international organizations and treaties, including the International Criminal Court, if the US thwarts the statehood bid at the Security Council.