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US ‘Veto’ Haunts Draft Resolution Delegitimizing West Bank Settlements

The Sde Boaz outpost in the West Bank is one of the nine settlements that were legalized by the Israeli cabinet on Sunday (EPA)
The Sde Boaz outpost in the West Bank is one of the nine settlements that were legalized by the Israeli cabinet on Sunday (EPA)
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US ‘Veto’ Haunts Draft Resolution Delegitimizing West Bank Settlements

The Sde Boaz outpost in the West Bank is one of the nine settlements that were legalized by the Israeli cabinet on Sunday (EPA)
The Sde Boaz outpost in the West Bank is one of the nine settlements that were legalized by the Israeli cabinet on Sunday (EPA)

The US had expressed its clear objection to a draft resolution calling on Israel to stop steps it is taking to legalize nine settlement outposts in the occupied West Bank, UN diplomats told Asharq Al-Awsat on Friday.

The resolution, still in draft form, calls for respecting the current historical status of the holy places in East Jerusalem and urges the international community to provide protection for Palestinians.

Although the UN says that the settlements violate international law, the advancement of the settlement movement continued under all Israeli governments since the 1967 war.

Many countries consider these settlements a major obstacle to reaching a solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

“Negotiations are still going on around the clock,” a diplomat who requested anonymity told Asharq Al-Awsat.

The draft resolution, which was prepared by the UAE in close coordination with the Palestinians, was subjected to “fundamental amendments on Thursday,” said the diplomat.

They predicted that an “additional amended version” will be finalized on Friday.

“The goal now is to vote on the final version next Monday,” revealed the diplomat.

“China will likely adopt the draft resolution alongside the UAE,” they added, noting that the US most probably will use its right to veto to abort the resolution.

Any draft resolution in the UN Security Council needs nine out of 15 votes of member states to get passed. This is if none of the permanent members: the US, Britain, France, Russia, and China, use their veto privileges.

Palestinians are seeking a repeat of UNSC Resolution 2236, which was adopted by the international body in December 2016.

At that time, the administration of former US President Barack Obama abstained from voting on the draft resolution, in a step contrary to its practices that protect Israel from UN procedures.

The draft resolution “reaffirms that the establishment by Israel of settlements in the Palestinian territory occupied since 1967, including East Jerusalem, has no legal validity and constitutes a flagrant violation under international law.”

It also “condemns all attempts at annexation, including decisions and measures by Israel regarding settlements and settlement outposts,” and calls for their immediate reversal.

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Türkiye Denies Direct Talks with SDF, Demands Full Disarmament

Türkiye insists on the dissolution of the SDF, the departure of foreign fighters from Syria, and the integration of remaining members into the new army (Reuters)
Türkiye insists on the dissolution of the SDF, the departure of foreign fighters from Syria, and the integration of remaining members into the new army (Reuters)
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Türkiye Denies Direct Talks with SDF, Demands Full Disarmament

Türkiye insists on the dissolution of the SDF, the departure of foreign fighters from Syria, and the integration of remaining members into the new army (Reuters)
Türkiye insists on the dissolution of the SDF, the departure of foreign fighters from Syria, and the integration of remaining members into the new army (Reuters)

Türkiye has denied holding any direct negotiations with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), asserting that no dialogue is possible unless the group dissolves itself and fully disarms.

Omer Celik, spokesperson and deputy chair of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), firmly rejected recent reports and statements suggesting contacts between Turkish authorities and the SDF.

“No official meetings have taken place,” Celik stated Thursday, following a high-level party meeting chaired by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

His comments came in response to a recent interview with SDF commander Mazloum Abdi, who claimed there had been direct contacts and expressed openness to meeting Erdogan. Without naming Abdi directly, Celik dismissed the notion that Türkiye had engaged with the SDF as though it were an independent entity. “It is unacceptable to frame the situation in that way,” he said.

Celik reiterated that any engagement would only be possible if the SDF disbands, lays down its arms, and ends its affiliation with the PKK (Kurdistan Workers’ Party), which Ankara considers a terrorist organization. “If they disarm, then a meeting could be possible,” he added.

In recent days, several Western media outlets reported that US-mediated talks had taken place between Türkiye and the SDF. These reports claimed the discussions centered on reducing tensions, dissolving the SDF, and implementing a March agreement with the Syrian government that would see SDF fighters integrated into a new Syrian army and hand over ISIS-linked detainees and camps to Damascus.

While some reports hinted at a potential meeting between Abdi and either Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan or intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin, Fidan denied such plans. He confirmed that Türkiye is working with both Washington and Damascus to implement the SDF’s military integration.

Celik also acknowledged an agreement between the SDF and the Syrian government that would see the SDF hand over territory to state control. He stated that all PKK elements, especially those from the YPG (the SDF’s leading faction), must leave the country.

Referring to a May 12 PKK statement titled “Dissolution of the PKK and Disarmament,” Celik stressed that Erdogan had made it clear that all PKK-affiliated structures, including the SDF, must be dismantled and disarmed.

“This is not about opposing Kurdish rights,” Celik concluded. “President Erdogan told Assad years ago: Give Kurds their rights like any other citizens. But we will never allow a terrorist state on our southern border.”