Representatives Peter Roskam (R-Ill.) and Steve Israel (D-N.Y.) issued a letter Friday calling on the Obama administration to “send a clear message” that it will veto any United Nations Security Council resolution that “attempts to bypass direct negotiations between Israelis and the Palestinians.” The letter read in part:

We write to urge you to announce your intention to veto the draft resolution currently before the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), which attempts to bypass direct negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians by instead imposing a framework for a peace agreement from outside parties. We strongly believe that peace can only be achieved through a direct, mutually agreed upon solution. …

This UNSC resolution will move Israelis and Palestinians further away from peace and security for both sides – a disastrous outcome that would only serve to further destabilize the Middle East and threaten U.S. national security and regional interests. The United States must send a clear message that these counterproductive actions will not be tolerated. We therefore urge you to immediately declare your intention to veto this resolution should it be brought to a vote before the UNSC.

Roskam’s and Israel’s letter follows a similar letter authored by Senators Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.).

Yesterday, State Department Spokeswoman Jen Psaki said that the resolution “is not something that we would support,” implying that the United States would veto the resolution if it came up for a vote. However, it wasn’t clear that the Palestinian Authority was actually pushing for a Security Council vote on the resolution.

[Photo: Peter Roskam / YouTube ]