Although the United Nations Security Council is still scheduled to meet Tuesday for its discussion of President Donald Trump’s Middle East Peace Plan, a change was announced Monday, informing members there will be no longer be any vote on a Palestinian Authority-sponsored resolution to condemn Trump’s “Deal of the Century.”
Both UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas are still expected to attend the session, in which the expected resolution that had been cirulated would have condemned the US peace plan.
Tuesday’s debate is set to be opened by Guterres, with remarks delivered after the UN secretary-general by Abbas, Israeli Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon, US Ambassador Kelly Craft and the rest of the Council members.
The language and text of the plan has, in fact, changed several times with a reduction in the vicious tone aimed at the United States, in a desperate attempt by Abbas to keep it alive long enough to make some version of it pass the Security Council vote.
At the end, however, it was decided to pull it altogether, in deference to the extreme pressure exerted on the part of Israel and the United States, a permanent member of the Council.
“Our line was clear,” said Danon, “not condemnation against Israel but only negotiations will promote a peace process. I thank the countries that helped to stop Abbas’ unnecessary action.”