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| U.S. envoy in Ramallah to block UN statehood bid |
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 U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East David Hale has traveled to the West Bank try to convince the Palestinian Authority to abandon attempts to seek statehood at the UN. Hale met with acting Palestinian Authority chief Mahmoud Abbas in the West Bank city of Ramallah on Wednesday in a last-ditch attempt to prevent the Palestinians from gaining statehood recognition at the UN and to press Palestinians to resume the U.S.-sponsored negotiations with Israel, which collapsed last year. The top U.S. diplomat has also held talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the issue. The meetings came just days ahead of a planned PA bid, which Israel and the U.S. strongly oppose. Washington has repeatedly said that it would veto the move at the UN Security Council. The Palestinian Authority, however, says it is determined to press ahead with a vote in the General Assembly to elevate Palestine's status in the world body from entity to state. “From our point of view, it's out of the question,” said Nabil Shaath, a senior aide to Abbas. ''It's much too late for that.” That future Palestinian state would include the West Bank and Gaza, with East al-Quds (Jerusalem) as its capital. PA says it believes that more than 130 countries would recognize the state of Palestine based on the pre-1967 borders. Meanwhile, many Palestinian groups have expressed opposition to the Palestinian Authority's move, saying that it will legitimize the Israeli occupation of other Palestinian lands. The 66th UN General Assembly, due to open on 20 September, will vote on Palestinian state. (Source: Press TV)   Socialize this Subscribe to our RSS feed to stay in touch and receive all of TT updates right in your feed reader
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