Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said today (November 11, 2012) that he will ask the United Nations General Assembly this month to recognize Palestine to non-member observer status, despite pressure to abandon the bid from Israel and the United States, according to the Associated Press website.
Both Israel and the United States say a Palestinian state can be established only through negotiations. Talks broke down four years ago and the Palestinians refuse to renew them until Israel halts all settlement construction -- which Israel refuses to do.
Abbas said in a speech today, "Some powers are trying to tell us that the two-state solution doesn't come from the UN, but through negotiations.... Negotiations are crucial. But to get UN recognition is also key."
Israel has threatened Palestine that it will stop collecting tax revenue for the Palestinian Authority and not hand over the money, if President Abbas continues to seek Palestinian observer state membership of the UN.
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