Palestinians hold fast to UN recognition for State

Fatah Central Committee member Nabil Shaath said on Saturday that his government will still seek the United Nations for recognition of a Palestinian independent statehood. Shaath expressed that his government would not agree on any initiative that would change political and legal rights to hold an independent Palestinian state. "It is necessary for all initiatives to aim at halting settlements and setting a timeframe for pre-agreed bases of negotiations to ensure the recognition of independent Palestinian state," he pointed out. He also noted that his government does not oppose a complete Israeli withdrawal from the West Bank in order to give room for continuing negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian government as two separate states. Shaath stressed that seeking the United Nations'' help is a move supported by 122 countries, five of which are hesitant to vote in favor of the Palestinians. By September there might be 15 countries that will recognize a Palestinian statehood if all the channels of the United Nations were exerted to seek such recognition, Shaath noted.