Palestinians to resubmit statehood resolution to U.N.

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas said the Palestinians will resubmit a statehood resolution to the United Nations Security Council.

“We will go back to the Security Council until it recognizes our rights,” Abbas said Jan. 4 in Ramallah, in the West Bank, Reuters reported. “We are determined to join international conventions and treaties despite the pressure.”

Jordan, which submitted the resolution that was defeated last week in the Security Council, will remain a member of the council. Several countries seen as more sympathetic to the resolution were rotated on to the body at the beginning of the year.

In the Security Council vote, eight countries backed the resolution, five abstained and two — the United States and Australia — were against. Nine votes were needed for passage.

The United States has said it cannot support the proposal and could use its veto power to quash it.

Abbas signed 18 international treaties, including the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, following the resolution’s defeat. — jta