New York, Rabi Al-Awwal 15, 1432 H/Feb 18, 2011, SPA -- The UN Security Council to meet Friday to discuss the Arab-backed draft resolution seeking to brand Israeli settlements in East Al-Quds and the West Bank as "illegal", dpa reported. In Ramallah, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas refused to budge under intense US pressure to compromise the resolution, even following a telephone conversation with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. He spent 50 minutes on the phone with President Barack Obama on Thursday. The 15-nation Security Council held closed-door discussions Friday morning on a scheduled agenda on the protection of civilians in conflict areas. Diplomats made no comment on the afternoon meeting. -- SPA 23:31 LOCAL TIME 20:31 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/865776