Secretary of State Hillary Clinton underlined strong US opposition Thursday to Palestinian efforts to have the UN Security Council condemn Israeli settlements.
"The only way that there will be a resolution of the conflict… is through a negotiated settlement," Clinton said. "Therefore we don't see action at the UN or any other forum as being helpful in bringing about this desired outcome."
The Palestinian resolution against Israel's building in the occupied territories and East Jerusalem was formally put to the 15-member council late Tuesday with Lebanon, Brazil and South Africa as the council sponsors.
Palestinian Ambassador to the UN Ryad Mansour said the resolution would help revive long-stalled direct peace talks. Palestinians have refused to take part in talks since Israel ended a moratorium on settlements in late September.
Clinton, who did not make it clear whether Washington would veto the resolution, reiterated longstanding US opposition to Israeli settlement building.
"Our position on settlements remains as it has been. I clearly spoke out on that on many occasions and will continue to do so," Clinton told reporters at the State Department.
"Ultimately, the Palestinian and Israeli people have to make a decision about whether they can engage in a negotiation that will result in compromise on both sides to obtain" peace, she added.
A group of former US cabinet officials, diplomats, pundits and journalists meanwhile published an open letter to US President Barack Obama urging the United States to endorse the resolution.
"If the proposed resolution is consistent with existing and established US policies, then deploying a veto would severely undermine US credibility and interests, placing us firmly outside of the international consensus, and further diminishing our ability to mediate this conflict," the letter said.
The State Department is aware of the letter, spokesman Mark Toner told reporters without elaborating.
The United States, China, Russia, Britain and France — the five permanent members of the UN Security Council — all have the right to veto UN resolutions.
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