The United Nations Security Council has postponed a vote on a draft resolution that would half Israeli illegal settlements in the West Bank. The vote was to take place on Thursday.
The draft resolution demands that “Israel immediately and completely cease all settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian territory,” including East Jerusalem al-Quds as the establishment of settlements is a “flagrant violation” of international law and has “no legal validity.”
Sources close to the matter told Reuters on Thursday that Israel had asked Egypt to delay the vote. Meanwhile, a Western diplomat told Reuters that Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi had instructed Egypt’s UN mission to postpone the vote.
Israeli Premier Benjamin Netanyahu had earlier urged the United States to use its veto power at the council to block the resolution.
In addition, Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon called for the draft resolution to be vetoed.
“We expect our greatest ally not to allow this one-sided and anti-Israel resolution to be adopted by the council,” Danon said in a statement.
Responding to calls by Israeli authorities, US President-elect Donald Trump in a statement issued early on Thursday called for the veto of the resolution.
