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Kerry Won't Say if US to Veto Palestinian UN Resolution

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JERUSALEM, Israel -- U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry told reporters he will not publicly address whether America will use its veto power in the U.N. Security Council to thwart unilateral Palestinian actions to achieve statehood.

Palestinian Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, with the help of several European nations, including France, is attempting to advance a resolution in the UN Security Council that would bring about Palestinian statehood based on 1967 borders within two years.  The Palestinians say they will formally propose their resolution within a week.

According to U.S. law, the State Department must stop funding the Palestinian authority if it takes unilateral action at the UN.

Kerry's refusal to block the maneuvers increases the pressure on Israel and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.  Netanyahu faces elections next March after the Israeli Knesset dissolved last week.

In a meeting in Rome with Kerry this week, Netanyahu specifically asked that the U.S. exercise its veto power in the Security Council.  Kerry's public response has been noncommittal.

"We've made no determinations about language, approaches, specific resolutions, any of that," Kerry said.  "This isn't the time to detail private conversations or speculate on a UN Security Council resolution that hasn't even been tabled."

Netanyahu has repeatedly said that negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority are the only path for Palestinian statehood.  He warned that Palestinian attempts to act unilaterally or to take Israel to the International Criminal Court in The Hague will have "destructive consequences."

One Israeli official told Israel Hayom (ITALICS), "We will not act with a gun against our head."

If Netanyahu was trying to put the best light on his meeting with Kerry, he didn't have much to offer.  He described the conversation as "serious."

"I very much appreciate the secretary of state's efforts to prevent a deterioration in the region," Netanyahu said.  "I said that the attempts of the Palestinians and of several European countries to force conditions on Israel will only lead to a deterioration in the regional situation and will endanger Israel; therefore, we strongly oppose this."

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About The Author

John
Waage

John Waage has covered politics and analyzed elections for CBN New since 1980, including primaries, conventions, and general elections. He also analyzes the convulsive politics of the Middle East.