Abbas: Palestinian statehood bid going forward

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas gestures as he talks in the West Bank city of Ramallah, Sept. 16, 2011. / AP Photo/Majdi Mohammed

RAMALLAH, West Bank - The Palestinian president said Friday that he will ask the U.N. Security Council next week to endorse his statehood bid, a step that would risk a threatened U.S. veto in the council.

But in a speech to the Palestinian people before departing for New York, President Mahmoud Abbas appeared to leave himself some wiggle room, saying he did not rule out other, unspecified options. He also acknowledged that his U.N. move would not end the Israeli occupation and cautioned against outsized hopes.

"We don't want to raise expectations by saying we are going to come back with full independence," Abbas said in an address to Palestinian leaders. He said he was going to the United Nations to "ask the world to shoulder its responsibilities" by backing the establishment of a Palestinian state in the West Bank, Gaza Strip and east Jerusalem.

He urged the Palestinian people to refrain from violence, saying "anything other than peaceful moves will harm us and sabotage our endeavors."

Israel — and Washington — oppose the Palestinians' quest for a U.N. nod, saying the only way to deliver a Palestinian state is through negotiations, the cornerstone of Mideast peace efforts for the past two decades.

Palestinian Foreign Minister Riad Malki said Thursday that Abbas would submit his statehood bid to U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon after addressing the U.N. General Assembly on Sept. 23.

Although things will not change on the ground, the Palestinians hope the U.N. move will give them greater leverage in future negotiations with Israel by elevating their international profile and giving them access to world bodies like the International Criminal Court.

[worldcitizen1]

As long as the US taxpayer unconditionally supports Israel and it's continued expansion, there will never be peace for Israel! "Negotiations" have not worked, and never will as long as Israel claims all the land they think God gave them, regardless of who it currently belongs to. They need to look at the world is it is, not as they think it should be. The 'Jewish bible' is NOT the legitimate legal solution!

[EffortPA]

Why are we still supporting a country that is controlled by religious fanatics? I don't care if they believe in the Bible, Koran, the Torah or any of the other thousands of religious books out there. You cannot reason with religious fanatics, it is simply not possible!

Stop all aid to Israel until they return the lands they occupied after the 1967 war. If that doesn't work, then the UN should impose sanctions on Israel until they do. It shouldn't be long before Israel realizes that without our aid the status quo is unsustainable. They will have to reach a peace agreement.

I am so grateful the USA had the wisdom to return the lands they occupied after WWII in Europe, Japan, and the Pacific. Otherwise we would still be fighting those wars.

[formrusmcsgt]

Clinton also recently dispatched two top Middle East diplomats to the region. U.S. envoys David Hale and Dennis Ross have met with Israeli President Shimon Peres, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak. On the Palestinian side, they have met with Abbas and others.

According to an official, the diplomats are offering alternatives to UN action, including a fast track to new talks between the two sides and further pressure on Israel to stop its settlements policy.

http://worldblog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/09/16/7800659-palestinians-face-us-counteroffensive-on-un-vote
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That's a joke.

The U.S. "pressuring" Israel....funny.

Israel flips the whole world the finger - especially the U.S.

[formrusmcsgt]

by imnotimportant September 16, 2011 7:25 PM EDT

It's time for Israel to end its occupation of foreign countries. It's time for Israel to end apartheid.
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And it's waaaaay past time for America to stop supporting a regime which does so.

[formrusmcsgt]

by boatdocster September 16, 2011 5:11 PM EDT

Funny how the UN granting Israel statehood is good enough for them, but not for anyone else. We have been backing the wrong horse for a long time...
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Thank AIPAC.

[formrusmcsgt]

by boatdocster September 16, 2011 5:11 PM EDT
Why do you think Israel has tried so hard NOT to form a Palestinian state?
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Because it wants Palestinian land, not peace.....not to mention maintaining the status quo ad infinitum.

[formrusmcsgt]

by earth5667 September 16, 2011 5:15 PM EDT
The Arabs and oil at $ 90 a barrel and the USA sending and spending over 13 billion a year to defend Saudi Arabia and that oil even though they have their own armed forces.

Thats who runs Washington.
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Yeah, right.

Saudi Arabis is why the U.S is threatening to veto.

Either you don't have a clue or you're an AIPAC schill.

[imnotimportant]

Israel cannot destroy the nation of Palestine nor liquidate the Palestinian people.

Israel already agreed to its borders when it joined the United Nations. Everything else is the nation of Palestine.

It's time for Israel to end its occupation of foreign countries. It's time for Israel to end apartheid.

[formrusmcsgt]

by jtdev1 September 16, 2011 1:32 PM EDT
Who runs Washington???
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When it comes to ME policy, AIPAC.

[formrusmcsgt]

Israel — and Washington — oppose the Palestinians' quest for a U.N. nod, saying the only way to deliver a Palestinian state is through negotiations
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What a load of crap.

How was Israel created?

Through the UN, just as the Palestinians are seeking.

[formrusmcsgt]

You're an idiot.