Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas flies to New York on April 22 determined to press the UN Security Council to a vote condemning the illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank as an obstacle to peace.
The last time the Security Council voted on a resolution condemning the settlements was in February 2011. At that time, the Palestinians garnered the support of 14 out of 15 Security Council members, including Britain, France and Germany.
The United States opposed the resolution and after failing to get the Palestinians to withdraw it, cast a veto. This was the only time in the past seven years that U.S. President Barack Obama used his veto.
Since then President Obama has hinted he would not automatically veto a Security Council resolution on settlements if it was in line with US policy. The US regards the Israeli settlements as “illegitimate”.
Palestine Briefing 