UNITED NATIONS: The Palestinians are calling for a UN Security Council vote Friday on a resolution condemning Israeli settlements.

Riyad Mansour, the Palestinian UN observer, announced the move late Wednesday after it was approved in a closed-door meeting of the 22-member Arab Group, which rejected a compromise proposal by the United States.

Diplomats said the United States had proposed a weaker Security Council statement, promised to include language sought by the Palestinians in the next communique of the Quartet of Mideast peacemakers and to support a council visit to the Middle East.

Friday's vote puts the Obama administration in a difficult position because a veto would anger the Palestinians and its many supporters while an abstention would anger the Israelis.