France will back the resolution to recognize Palestinian statehood at the United Nations on Thursday, Al Jazeera reports.
Ian Black of The Guardian reports that the UK agreed to vote for Palestine's "non-member state" status as long as Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas pledges to not apply for membership to the international criminal court or the international court of justice—both could be used to pursue war crime charges against Israel—and to resume peace talks.
But Barak Ravid of Haaretz reports that American-Israeli efforts to soften the wording of the proposed UN resolution have failed because "the Palestinians refused to add a clause to the draft that would prevent them from filing criminal charges against Israeli officials at the International Criminal Court [ICC] in The Hague."
The Palestinians said they are prepared to provide an oral guarantee that they will not seek to file charges with the ICC for about six months, and afterward they would consider themselves no longer bound by the guarantee. The UK did not state whether they were requesting an oral or written guarantee.
The vote is almost certain to pass as 132 UN members have recognised the state of Palestine. Palestine would have the same status as the Vatican.
Black notes that both the U.S. and Israel have hinted at possible retaliation if the vote goes ahead. Congress could block payments to the Palestinian Authority while Israel could freeze tax revenues it transfers under the 1993 Oslo agreement— or withdraw from the agreement altogether— and annex West Bank settlements.
Here are key parts of the resolution (via Haaretz):
4. The General Assembly affirms its determination to contribute to the achievement of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people and the attainment of a peaceful settlement in the Middle East that ends the occupation that began in 1967 and fulfills the vision of two States, an independent, sovereign, democratic, contiguous and viable State of Palestine, living side by side in peace and security with Israel, on the basis of the pre-1967 borders.
5. The General Assembly expresses the urgent need for the resumption and acceleration of negotiations within the Middle East peace process ... for the achievement of a just, lasting and comprehensive peace settlement between the Palestinian and Israeli sides that resolves all outstanding core issues, namely the Palestine refugees, Jerusalem, settlements, borders, security and water.
SEE ALSO: Palestinian Unity On UN Statehood Bid Tests Israel's Patience Of Gaza Ceasefire >
Please follow Business Insider on Twitter and Facebook.