Palestinians to submit draft on end of Israeli occupation to UN but hint at vote delay

Palestinians carry the body of 20-year-old Mahmoud Abdalla Mahmoud Abdalla, who was killed in clashes with Israeli troops, during his funeral in the Qalandia refugee camp near the West Bank city of Ramallah, Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2014. The Israeli military said Palestinians threw explosive charges and opened fire at soldiers during an arrest operation and that they responded with fire of their own, killing one man, and wounding another.(AP Photo/Majdi Mohammed) (The Associated Press)

US Secretary of State John Kerry, second right, meets with Arab League secretary general Nabil El-Arabi, second from left, on Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2014, in London. The meeting was to discuss the ongoing peace process between the Israelis and Palestinians. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, Pool) (The Associated Press)

RAMALLAH, West Bank – The Palestinian foreign minister says an Arab-backed draft on ending Israel's occupation of lands captured in 1967 will be submitted later in the day to the U.N. Security Council.

However, Riad Malki said Wednesday the actual vote on the resolution might be put off — suggesting a compromise is in the works to avoid a clash in the council.

The Jordanian-backed draft — which the U.S. is almost certain to veto — sets November 2016 as a deadline for an Israeli withdrawal.

Malki told the Voice of Palestine radio that there will be more negotiations on the wording.

He says that "we were informed that France has agreed with the United States, the United Kingdom and Jordan to continue talks" about the resolution to avoid a (US) veto.