Amid no signs of a breakthrough in peace talks, the Palestinian leadership along with Arab states are mulling to bring a resolution in the UN Security Council for declaring Israeli settlements in the West Bank as ‘illegal’ that must be evacuated.

The new move aimed at countering a US veto comes in place of an earlier idea seeking UN Security Council recognition for a Palestinian state within pre-1967 lines.

The Palestinians believe that Israel’s close ally, the United States, would veto any resolution recognising a Palestinian state that was not a result of an agreement with the Jewish state, the Haaretz reported.

However, Washington, which has also been pressurising Israel on the issue of constructions in the West Bank and east Jerusalem, would have trouble opposing a resolution that declared the settlements illegal under international law.

The daily reported that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s envoy for talks with the Palestinians, attorney Isaac Molho, has refused to take a document detailing the Palestinian leadership’s positions on all the core issues of the conflict.

A diplomatic source reportedly said yesterday that chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat tried to hand the document to Molho during their meeting in Washington a few weeks ago where several American officials, including special envoy for the peace process, George Mitchell, were also present.

The document is said to provide details of Palestinian position on various issues said to have been already presented to Mitchell during the months of proximity talks.

Netanyahu’s bureau refused to respond on the issue saying it cannot comment on what happened at a diplomatic meeting because all parties to the talks agreed to maintain secrecy.

“If the Palestinians want to find problems, we won’t be able to advance. If they want to solve problems, I’m thinking of various ways to overcome the gaps and make progress,” the Israeli premier told his ruling Likud party members yesterday with no visible solution to the settlement crisis.

The Palestinian Authority (PA) has categorically refused to resume peace talks if Israel doesn’t freeze all construction activities in the West Bank and east Jerusalem.