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Israeli-Palestinian conflict

UN Security Council gathers to vote on draft Palestine resolution

Russia's permanent representative to UN, Vitaly Churkin, confirmed that Moscow plans to back the document

UNITED NATIONS, December 31. /TASS/. The 15-member United Nations Security Council has gathered for a session to vote on the draft resolution on creating the Palestinian state.

Russia's permanent representative to UN, Vitaly Churkin, confirmed that Moscow plans to back the document. “Of course, we plan to vote yes,” he said.

France’s envoy to the UN, Francois Delattre, said “we would explain our decision after the vote.”

The new draft resolution, which was submitted on Monday, gives 12 months for the comprehensive settlement of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict that envisages the creation of a “sovereign and viable” State of Palestine.

The document also says that all Israeli forces must be withdrawn from the occupied territory no later than 2017 and establishes a "third-party presence" to help guarantee Palestinian sovereignty.

It demands complete cessation of all Israeli settlement activity on the Palestinian territory, occupied since 1967, including in East Jerusalem.

The resolution will be adopted if 9 out of the 15 UN Security Council members support it and no permanent members (Russia, UK, China, US, France) veto it. Washington has already announced that the document is untimely and unconstructive.

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