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Palestinians officially decide to seek UN recognition for statehood in September

26 June 2011

PA leadership says move will help renew peace negotiations, stresses Fatah-Hamas reconciliation agreement to be completed

By Jack Khoury
Haaretz

The Palestinian Authority officially announced Sunday its intention to turn to the United Nations in September in an effort to attain recognition of a Palestinian state based on 1967 borders.

The announcement came at the conclusion of a meeting of the Palestinian leadership in Ramallah, who urged the world to support the Palestinians in this endeavor.

palestine-june-26-1
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas attends
a meeting of the Palestinian leadership
in Ramallah last month

They claimed the move would strengthen efforts to renew negotiations based on the Arab Peace Initiative, the Mideast Quartet decisions, as well as U.S. President Barack Obama’s Mideast vision which he had recently outlined.

According to the announcement, Palestinian leaders plan on carrying out the reconciliation agreement between Fatah and Hamas and establishing a unity government.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said during the meeting that he is determined to visit the Gaza Strip, as a gesture during efforts to complete the reconciliation agreement.