150 countries to vote for the Palestinian

The PLO appears adamant this time to take Palestinian statehood to the UN General Assembly. Dr. Hanan Ashrawi, the PLO executive committee member has indicated that a draft resolution will be submitted before the end of the year. However, she suggested that it could be submitted on 29 November, which is the anniversary of both the international solidarity day with the Palestinian people, and the date of the much-detested UN General Assembly resolution 181, which called for the partition of Palestine into one state for all. Ashrawi who was speaking during a press conference held here Friday night, pointed out that consultations with several world groups have, already, begun, in order to accrue a biggest possible support for the application, by the end of the year. The PLO executive committee member went on to say that she is expecting 150 countries to vote for the Palestinian application to acquire a non-member status, in the United Nations. Dr. Ashrawi also lashed out at Netanyahu’s speech at the General Assembly on Friday, described it as simplistic, and lacking an approach to end the conflict. The United States continues to oppose the Palestinian move at General assembly just as it had opposed it at the Security Council last year. Financial aid to the PA has become intermittent as a result, and the US has warned the PLO that this move will affect future relations, she added. There was even speculation that the US will expel the Palestinian diplomatic mission in Washington, if the resolution is submitted.