Palestine to seek recognition as UN member-state in September; Palestine condemn Israel’s plan to build new settlements
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  • A senior Palestinian official Nabil Shaath declared that Palestinians would seek recognition as a UN member-state in September given the deadlock in US-brokered peacemaking with Israel. He also urged President Obama to join countries that have already endorsed a Palestinian state encompassing West Bank and East Jerusalem. Another Palestinian official, Nabil Abu Rudeina, said the drive to win statehood status unilaterally could be forestalled provided Israel accept the demand to extend a freeze on its settlement on occupied land so that negotiations can resume.1

    In another development, Palestinian officials condemned the authorisation granted for the construction of 1550 new housing units in Israeli settlements around Jerusalem, despite US President Barack Obama's comments that a future Palestinian state must be established in pre-1967 borders. Earlier, an Israeli Interior Ministry spokeswoman said the planning committee had approved two building projects in Pisgat Zeev and Har Homa. Saeb Erekat, a senior aide to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, said the Israeli move further hampered U.S. efforts to revive Israeli-Palestinian peace talks that collapsed in 2010 shortly after they began because of settlement building.2

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