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US Discouraging Palestinian UN Move on Settlements

   David Gollust | State Department  18 January 2011
   Gilo,  a Jewish settlement on land Israel captured in 1967 and annexed
   to  its  Jerusalem  municipality,  is  seen in this general view (File
   Photo)

Photo: Reuters

   Gilo,  a Jewish settlement on land Israel captured in 1967 and annexed
   to  its  Jerusalem  municipality,  is  seen in this general view (File
   Photo)

   The  Obama  administration said Tuesday it is actively discouraging an
   Arab-sponsored  move  to  have Israeli settlement activity in the West
   Bank condemned and declared illegal by the U.N. Security Council. Such
   a resolution could be introduced in the council this week.
   Officials  here  are  not saying outright that the United States would
   veto a resolution on settlements.
   But  they  insist  that such a move is what one official termed "a bad
   idea"  and  that the Obama administration is urging Arab diplomats and
   Security Council members not to move forward on it.
   The  proposed  resolution, backed by the Palestinians and Arab League,
   reflects  frustration  over  the  stalemate in U.S.-led efforts to get
   Israel  and the Palestinians back into direct negotiations on settling
   the Middle East conflict.
   U.S.  officials  argue  that  unilateral  steps  - those taken without