Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas, met on Wednesday at night with the United Nations Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, and discussed the Palestinian nonmember state application (observer state) that will be submitted and discussed Thursday. Abbas told the UN Secretary General that the Palestinians are determined to achieve their internationally guaranteed rights through the United Nations and the Security Council, and through all international legitimacy resolutions.
The Palestinian president said that heading to the UN is not a unilateral move, and is not meant at isolating Israel, but a necessary move due to the ongoing Israeli violations, and its ongoing settlement activities.
Several Palestinian officials, including Secretary of the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO), Yasser Abed-Rabbo, member of the Executive Committee of the PLO, long time negotiator, Dr. Saeb Erekat, and several other officials, attended the meeting.
It is worth mentioning that Abbas received, on Wednesday, a phone call from the Italian Prime Minister, Silvio Berlusconi, and held talks about the Palestinian UN bid.
Also on Wednesday, Spain, Switzerland, Denmark, Greece, and Cyprus stated that they will vote for the observer state status bid.
The Palestinian leadership said that it will be willing to resume peace talks with Israel once it stops it violations and attacks, and that heading to the United Nations and its organizations seeking membership is only meant at boosting the Palestinians stance, and that these applications are coherent with the legitimate Palestinian aspirations of liberation and independence.
