Abbas seeks historic state backing at UN

UN: Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas was at the General Assembly on Thursday with huge backing for his bid for UN recognition of statehood despite strong US and Israeli opposition.

Abbas will make the case for Palestine to become a UN “non-member observer state” and indicate his conditions for talks with Israel in a key speech to the 193-member assembly.

The Palestinian leadership is determined to make the 65th anniversary of a UN resolution on the division of Palestinian territory a “historic” landmark of their efforts to set up an independent state.

The United States, a staunch ally of Israel, has launched an aggressive campaign against the bid, warning that the vote will do nothing to improve the prospects for new peace talks aimed at ending the decades-long conflict.

US Deputy Secretary of State William Burns and Middle East envoy David Hale met with Abbas at his New York hotel on Wednesday but failed to get the resolution withdrawn or amended, officials said.

“It would be like changing my name,” Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Malki told reporters when asked if the Palestinians were ready to change their request.

Abbas also held talks with a host of ministers and top diplomats in the day before his speech, including Turkey's Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, who pledged his country's support, and UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.

Much attention will be focused on the number of countries that back the observer state status. The Palestinians say 132 countries recognize their state bilaterally. Some of those are expected to abstain, however. And some, such as France and other European nations, are expected to vote in favor even though they have not formally recognized a Palestinian state.

AFP