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Israeli-Palestinian conflict

Palestine revokes its UNSC draft resolution supposed to be voted on February 11 — source

"Additional consultations on the document are planned," he said

UNITED NATIONS, February 10. /TASS/. Palestine has retracted its draft resolution of the United Nations Security Council for further consultations. The voting on the document initially scheduled for February 11 will not be held, a UN Security Council source told TASS on Monday.

"There will be no voting tomorrow. Additional consultations on the document are planned," he said.

The United Nations Security Council will gather for an open session on February 11 to discuss the US peace plan for Israel and Palestine, or the so-called deal of the century. The meeting will be attended by Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas. Palestine’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Riyad Mansour said earlier a draft resolution on the United States’ "deal of the century" could be considered at the meeting.

The draft has been subject for discussion till the last moment, with its text changed several times to tone it down. Consultations on the text of the resolution will be continued, the source said.

On January 28, US President Donald Trump unveiled key provisions of what he calls "the deal of the century," or a peace plan for Israel and Palestine based on mutual recognition of the two-state solution. The plan provides for recognition of Israel’s sovereignty over Jewish settlements already built on the Palestinian territory. Under the plan, Jerusalem will be "undivided" capital of Israel and East Jerusalem will be Palestine’s capital. As a precondition for the peace process, according to Trump, Palestine’s authorities should stop supporting the Hamas radical movement operating in Gaza and cease hostilities. The plan suggests more than 50 billion US dollars be facilitated in new investments over ten years as support to the settlement efforts. More than a half of the sum is supposed to go to Palestine and the rest is planned to be invested in Egypt, Jordan and Lebanon.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu voiced support for Trump’s plan and expressed his readiness for the immediate launch of peace talks with the Palestinians. Meanwhile, Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas and Hamas turned down Trump’s deal.

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