The Palestinian Authority (PA) is talking to members of the UN Security Council about a possible resolution against Israel, mainly around the latest decision on construction in Judea and Samaria, PA and US officials told Barak Ravid of Axios on Tuesday.
The report follows the decision by Israel's security cabinet to authorize nine communities in Judea and Samaria, which have existed for many years and some of which have existed for decades.
Riyad Mansour, the PA envoy to the UN, on Monday sent a letter to the members of the Security Council about the Israeli cabinet decision.
In the letter, which was obtained by Axios, Mansour writes that the Security Council must act immediately to send a clear message to Israel against its settlement activity.
According to Ravid’s report, the Biden administration is trying to convince the PA not to push for a vote on any Security Council resolution related to the settlement decision.
The Biden administration proposed that instead of a resolution, the US would support the release of a presidential statement by the Security Council on the issue of “settlements”, officials said.
Such statements are made by the president of the Security Council on behalf of the body. The last time one was published on the Israeli-PA issue was more than six years ago.
PA officials have so far rejected the US proposal and want to push for a vote, the officials said.
Israeli officials say they believe the PA will manage to mobilize the support, according to Ravid.
The Israeli ambassador to the UN and other Israeli officials are holding talks with their Biden administration counterparts to make sure the US vetoes any potential resolution, Israeli officials said.
The US has traditionally used its veto power in the Security Council when it has attempted to pass anti-Israel resolutions, though the Obama administration in 2016 did not veto a Security Council resolution against Israel’s presence in Judea and Samaria.
On Monday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken criticized Israel’s decision to authorize the nine communities in Judea and Samaria.
"We are deeply troubled by Israel’s decision yesterday to advance reportedly nearly 10,000 settlement units and to begin a process to retroactively legalize nine outposts in the West Bank that were previously illegal under Israeli law," Blinken wrote.
"Like previous administrations, Democratic and Republican, we strongly oppose such unilateral measures, which exacerbate tensions and undermine the prospects for a negotiated two-state solution," he added.
"As I have previously stated, anything that takes us away from the vision of two states for two peoples is detrimental to Israel’s long-term security, its identity as a Jewish and democratic state, and to our vision of equal measures of security, freedom, prosperity, and dignity for Israelis and Palestinians alike. We call on all parties to avoid additional actions that can further escalate tensions in the region and to take practical steps that can improve the well-being of the Palestinian people," Blinken concluded.
The European Union (EU) also condemned the Israeli decision, saying, “The European Union rejects this decision and reiterates its position that settlements are illegal under international law and that it will not recognize any changes to the 1967 borders other than those agreed by the parties. The EU renews its call on the Israeli authorities to halt settlement construction and to reverse these latest decisions as a matter of urgency.”