The UN Security Council in session. Photo: Reuters/Lev Radin/Sipa USA

i24 News – The UN Security Council will not vote Monday on a draft resolution demanding that Israel “immediately and completely cease all settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian territory.”

The move follows US-brokered diplomatic contacts between Jerusalem and Ramallah, where the sides agreed to avoid unilateral measure that could aggravate the tensions on the ground. Recent months saw an uptick in Palestinian terrorist attacks against Israeli targets and rioting, especially in flashpoints areas of eastern Jerusalem.

Earlier in the day, deputy State Department spokesperson Vedant Patel reiterated the US position against the “unhelpful” resolution.

“Our view is that the introduction of this resolution was unhelpful in supporting the conditions necessary to advance negotiations of a two-state solution. Just like we believe that the news out of Israel on Sunday was unhelpful and something that would further incite tensions as well. And our viewpoint has always been that both sides should avoid taking steps that puts us further away from a two-state solution and further incites tensions, which these are the kinds of actions that do that.”

The United States traditionally shields its ally Israel at the United Nations, with the notable exception of the 2016 abstention by President Barack Obama’s then-lame duck administration. The abstention was on a vote to allow the council to adopt a resolution demanding Israel stop building settlements.

On Wednesday, United Arab Emirates (UAE) circulated the text of a resolution to the Security Council that it drafted in coordination with the Palestinians. Yet on Sunday the UAE told council counterparts in the note sent on Sunday that it will now work on drafting a formal statement – known as a presidential statement (PRST) – which the 15-member council has to agree by consensus.

“Given the positive talks between the parties, we are now working on a draft PRST which would garner consensus,” the note said. “Accordingly, there will not be a vote on the draft resolution on Monday. Much of the language of the PRST will be drawn from the draft resolution.”