United Nations Resolutions | The American Task Force on Palestine

Palestinians say U.S. presents new ideas to revive Mideast peace process
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua
February 18, 2011 - 1:00am

The Palestinian leadership will meet Friday in the West Bank to discuss new U.S. ideas aimed at reviving peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians, sources said Thursday. President Mahmoud Abbas asked the Executive Committee of Palestine Liberation Organization and the Central Committee of his Fatah movement for an urgent meeting to discuss the ideas, the sources said. The sources said they do not have details about the new ideas, while Palestinian officials contacted by Xinhua refused to comment.

UN set to vote on settlement resolution; U.S. set to veto
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Natasha Mozgovaya, Barak Ravid - February 18, 2011 - 1:00am

The UN Security Council is expected to vote today on a resolution brought by the Arab states and the Palestinian Authority declaring the Jewish settlements in the West Bank illegal and an obstacle to a two-state solution. The United States is expected to veto the resolution, its first such action since President Barack Obama took office two years ago.

US rhetoric on settlements tested at the UN
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The National
February 18, 2011 - 1:00am

A good tongue lashing hurts, but it rarely stings. American criticism of Israeli policy offers a case in point. As much of the rest of the world has stood up at the United Nations to ink its displeasure with Israel for decades, one nation has proven the reliable spoiler. All of which makes America’s support for a new Security Council statement condemning Israel’s settlement construction encouraging. The US Ambassador to the UN has reportedly expressed interest in a measure that, in part, “does not accept the legitimacy of continued Israeli settlement activity”.

U.S. pushing Palestinians to drop UN resolution on settlement construction
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Barak Ravid - February 17, 2011 - 1:00am

The United States is putting heavy pressure on the Palestinian Authority and Arab states to withdraw a draft resolution condemning Israeli settlements. The resolution is due to come up for a vote at the United Nations Security Council on Friday. Washington has made it clear that it will veto the resolution should it come to a vote, and has implored the Palestinian Authority and other Arab nations to withdraw the proposal, but to no avail.

WEST BANK: Obama calls Mahmoud Abbas, who calls for urgent leadership meeting
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Los Angeles Times
by Maher Abukhater - February 17, 2011 - 1:00am

On the eve of a planned United Nations Security Council vote on a resolution condemning Israeli settlement activities in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, President Obama called his Palestinian counterpart, Mahmoud Abbas, on Thursday to discuss the measure. Palestinian sources said Obama tried to dissuade Abbas from proceeding with the resolution, which the U.S. strongly opposes on grounds that it will obstruct efforts to resume Palestinian-Israeli negotiations suspended since September.

The refugee issue in the API: contradictory or complementary
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Bitterlemons
by Mati Steinberg - February 17, 2011 - 1:00am

The Arab Peace Initiative comprises two main references to the Palestinian refugee issue that seem to be mutually contradictory. On the one hand, the API stipulates the need for "a just solution to the Palestinian refugee problem to be agreed upon in accordance with United National General Assembly Resolution 194". On the other, it indicates "the rejection of all forms of Palestinian patriation ["tawtin"] which conflict with the special circumstances of the Arab host countries".

PLO to press on with settlement vote at UN
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency
February 16, 2011 - 1:00am

Palestinian representatives at the UN will push forward with a draft resolution calling on the Security Council to condemn settlement construction, PLO Executive Committee member Saleh Raafat said Tuesday. A vote will be held on the resolution "[d]espite all of the pressure exerted on the Palestinians and the Arab-state supporters by the US," Raafat said.

Israel faces emboldened Palestinian delegation in the UN
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Shlomo Shamir - (Opinion) February 16, 2011 - 1:00am

Palestinians are vigorously working to get the United Nations Security Council resolution condemning Israeli settlement building passed. They are working quickly to get support from the organization's general assembly before Israel's new UN ambassador Ron Prosor, takes up his position.

UN commissioner meets prisoner families in Gaza
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency
February 11, 2011 - 1:00am

Relatives of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails urged the United Nations on Thursday to exert pressure on Israel to respect their human rights. In a memorandum to visiting UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay, the families asked her to "to take necessary measures and actions to activate the protection of human rights and set upon a monitoring system to ensure that Israeli government abides by these human rights principles."

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