RAMALLAH, Dec 28 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Sunday night informed U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry that the Palestinians intend to present a draft resolution to the UN Security Council on Monday.
The draft resolution calls on the Security Council to support setting up a timetable for a gradual ending of the Israeli military occupation of the Palestinian territories within three years until 2017.
The resolution also calls for a one-year direct negotiations with Israel that end up with a permanent agreement on establishing a Palestinian state on the territories Israel occupied in 1967 with east Jerusalem as its capital.
According to the Palestinian state-run news agency Wafa, Abbas spoke with Kerry on the phone and officially informed him that the draft resolution will be presented to the Security Council on Monday.
Earlier on Sunday, chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat told Xinhua that he expects the Security Council will convene either on Tuesday or Wednesday to vote for the Arab-backed draft resolution.
Jordan, which is a non-permanent Security Council member, will present the Palestinian draft resolution for voting. The Palestinians are concerned that the resolution may not get the consensus of at least nine council states members.
"President Abbas reiterated to Kerry that the Palestinian position of rejecting the issue of settlement building and expansion in the West Bank and Jerusalem is clear," said Wafa report.
Meanwhile, a well-informed official closed to Abbas spoke on condition of anonymity that Kerry exerted heavy pressure on Abbas over the phone to postpone the bid until after March elections in Israel.
The official said that Kerry hinted there will be economic sanctions imposed on the Palestinians and that the U.S. would veto the draft resolution in case it gains the nine Security Council votes.
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