BBC cites US official saying DC may decide not to use veto power in UNSC vote.
By BRACHA KURTZERUN Security Council 311(photo credit: courtesy)
The US may abstain from voting on a possible UN Security Council concerning the topic of Jewish construction in east Jerusalem, the BBC reported Thursday, citing a US official.According to the report, the unnamed official spoke with Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Hamad Bin Jasim Al Thani last week during talks in Paris.According to the news network, US Middle East envoy George Mitchell was in Paris last week in order to hold talks with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas - hinting that Mitchell was the diplomat who made the previous statement.The exchange came to public attention during a meeting at the Arab League summit in Sirte, Libya.
The US is one of five permanent members of the Security Council withveto power, and while the US usually blocks any condemning resolutionsregarding Israel, their decision to possibly abstain might allow thebill to pass.Relations between the US and Israel have been strained in the past fewweeks over the issue of the Jewish construction in east Jerusalem.
