Arab nations seek to block Quartet report at UN

Arab nations are calling on the United Nations Security Council not to endorse a report aimed at reviving the Middle East peace process that the Palestinians see as biased in favor of Israel, the Palestinian envoy to the UN says.

The report by the Middle East Quartet — the European Union, Russia, the United Nations and the United States — calls on Israel to halt settlement expansion and the Palestinians to stop inciting violence.

Arab diplomats agreed during a recent meeting to try to block any move by the council to adopt a US-drafted statement backing the long-awaited report’s recommendations, Riyad Mansour tells reporters.

Egypt, which represents the Arab group on the council, was told “not to allow a statement to be adopted welcoming and endorsing the recommendations,” Mansour says as the Council meets to discuss the report.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon earlier today urged the Council to throw its weight behind the findings, despite strong resistance from Israel and the Palestinians.

"We can do better for all the children of Palestine and Israel." – Ban Ki-moon https://t.co/MmMzqzZCqU pic.twitter.com/GYEvo36i86

— United Nations (@UN) July 12, 2016

— AFP