The US had expressed its clear objection to a draft resolution calling on Israel to stop steps it is taking to legalize nine settlement outposts in the occupied West Bank, UN diplomats told Asharq Al-Awsat on Friday. The resolution, still in draft form, calls for respecting the current historical status of the holy places in East Jerusalem and urges the international community to provide protection for Palestinians. Although the UN says that the settlements violate international law, the advancement of the settlement movement continued under all Israeli governments since the 1967 war. Many countries consider these settlements a major obstacle to reaching a solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. “Negotiations are still going on around the clock,” a diplomat who requested anonymity told Asharq Al-Awsat. The draft resolution, which was prepared by the UAE in close coordination with the Palestinians, was subjected to “fundamental amendments on Thursday,” said the diplomat. They predicted that an “additional amended version” will be finalized on Friday. “The goal now is to vote on the final version next Monday,” revealed the diplomat. “China will likely adopt the draft resolution alongside the UAE,” they added, noting that the US most probably will use its right to veto to abort the resolution. Any draft resolution in the UN Security Council needs nine out of 15 votes of member states to get passed. This is if none of the permanent members: the US, Britain, France, Russia, and China, use their veto privileges. Palestinians are seeking a repeat of UNSC Resolution 2236, which was adopted by the international body in December 2016. At that time, the administration of former US President Barack Obama abstained from voting on the draft resolution, in a step contrary to its practices that protect Israel from UN procedures. The draft resolution “reaffirms that the establishment by Israel of settlements in the Palestinian territory occupied since 1967, including East Jerusalem, has no legal validity and constitutes a flagrant violation under international law.” It also “condemns all attempts at annexation, including decisions and measures by Israel regarding settlements and settlement outposts,” and calls for their immediate reversal.