Palestine to seek membership of UN despite US aid ‘threats’

PRESIDENT Mahmud Abbas said yesterday that Palestinians will seek UN membership despite US “threats” to stop aid.

“We will go to the United Nations to obtain an international recognition to the state of Palestine, despite the obstacles and dangers, including US threats to halt $470 million in annual assistance,” Abbas told Jordan’s Al-Rai newspaper.

Abbas is to attend the UN General Assembly summit of world leaders starting on September 20, but Washington has already said it would veto any bid to the United Nations Security Council, arguing that a Palestinian state can be established only through negotiations.

Meanwhile, Israel and Egypt’s leadership tried to limit the damage in ties after protesters stormed Israel’s embassy in Cairo, wrecking offices and prompting the evacuation of nearly the entire staff from Egypt in the worst crisis between the states since their 1979 treaty.