Palestinians to push for UN vote ending Israel's occupation

Palestinian leaders made an announcement on Sunday saying they would submit a draft resolution to the UN Security Council aimed at setting a two-year limit towards ending Tel Aviv's occupation of the West Bank.

The situation escalated following the death of a Palestinian minister last week who suffered a heart attack after a scuffle with Israeli soldiers.

"The Palestinian leadership took a decision to go to the Security Council next Wednesday to vote on their project to end the occupation," Wassel Abu Yussef, a senior Palestine Liberation Organization member told AFP.

France is also planning to propose a similar resolution along with Germany and Britain, which, if accepted, would create a way for Israel and Palestine to return to negotiations aimed at achieving a two-state solution for Ramallah and Tel Aviv.

US expected to veto

However, the US is likely to veto any such proposal in the Security Council, especially since its close ally Israel has rejected all attempts to set an ultimatum. "We will not accept attempts to impose unilateral measures upon us by a set date, at a time when radical Islam is spreading throughout the world," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement quoted by the army radio.

Netanyahu is also scheduled to meet US Secretary of State John Kerry, who will visit foreign ministers in Rome and Paris to gauge French, German, British and Russian attitudes towards a two-state solution for the Gaza conflict. Additionally, he is set to meet Palestine's chief negotiator, Saeb Erekat, and representatives of the Arab League in London on Tuesday.

Concerns about rising tensions between Israel and Palestine have increased after peace talks failed in April this year, leading to conflict this summer, in which thousands of Palestinians were killed.

mg/gsw (dpa, AFP, AP)