US-Israeli pressure delays PA UN bid

A member of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) has said the Palestinian Authority's bid for UN recognition of Palestine as a member state of the General Asembly was delayed due to US-Israeli pressure. In an interview with Arabstoday, Hanna Amiraa said the pressure had amounted to "direct threats to cut off funds, aid to the PA, and stop the transfer of tax revenues". He said that the Palestinian leadership held several closed meetings to discuss the impact of the threats on the Palestinian public, and added that the leadership even sent several messages to Arab countries informing them about the threats. "However, they received no answer that indicates the support the PA will receive when they head to the UN General Assembly," he said. On Wednesday evening, Palestinian Foreign Minister Riad al-Malki announced the PA was not going to apply for UN membership this September, but at the next session. Malki told the Al-Hayat newspaper: "Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will deliver a speech before the General Assembly on September 27 to declare the intention to go to the Assembly and  apply for the status of observer member of Palestine. He will ask the head of the Palestinian delegation to the UN to get in contact with regional groups at the United Nations, and with the Secretary-General concerning the best formula for submission of the application and the best timing to secure a large majority. "