Palestinians to present statehood bid to UN general assembly
Palestinian leaders have said that they will formally request recognition of their state and full membership of the UN next month, despite strong US opposition amid warnings that such a move would jeopardise future peace talks.
Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president, will personally present the application to the UN secretary-general, Ban Ki-moon, before the UN general assembly opens on 20 September.
The UN has the moral, legal, political and historical responsibility to recognise Palestine and “to put an end to the Israeli occupation”, said Ryad Malki, the Palestinian foreign minister.
Abbas is to travel to Lebanon on Tuesday to discuss the plan. Lebanon will hold the rotating presidency of the UN security council next month and is expected to be sympathetic to the Palestinian campaign…
