Abbas to submit UN bid after General Assembly address

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will later on Friday formally submit an application for recognition of statehood to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, after his speech at the General Assembly, local media reported. Ban Ki-moon will then pass it on to Lebanon, which holds the rotating presidency of the Security Council this month. The application will then go before the UN Security Council where the Palestinians have to win nine of the 15 member votes. The U.S., one of the five permanent members with veto powers, has said it will veto any Palestinian statehood bid at the UN Security Council. But the Palestinian authorities have said they will push for at least non-full member status in the United Nations via a General Assembly vote. Russia has said it will back the Palestinian statehood bid. Israel and the U.S. strongly oppose the move, saying the long-running Middle East conflict can be resolved only through negotiations. After his UN address Abbas will leave New York for the Palestinian territories for consultations on the next step forward.