A group of Arab states launched negotiations on a resolution against Israeli building in West Bank settlements and aimed to finish a final draft in the near future, chief Palestinian UN delegate, Riyad Mansour was quoted as saying by Reuters on Wednesday.

"We are beginning the process of text negotiations, and we hope that we can finish this exercise as soon as possible ... to pave the way for action by the Security Council," Mansour said.

"Hopefully this issue will come to a closure this month, by the end of the month," he said, adding that the goal was for the UN Security Council to vote on the resolution in February.

Mansour rejected the notion that the resolution's aim was to avoid reentering negotiations with Israel.

"Once Israel complies with this resolution -- meaning to stop all settlement activities immediately -- the day after that we will be ready to go back to negotiations," he said.