PLO slams US propping of Israel

Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) has taken a swipe at the United States and blasted Washington for condoning “racist” Israeli policies. “The only option facing the world today, especially the United States, is to use all tools to oblige the occupiers to halt their racist, expansionary policy," the PLO said in a statement, Reuters reported on Tuesday. "The United States bears the prime responsibility for the continuation of this (racist) Israeli policy," it added. The Palestinian leadership said recent developments set the stage for Palestinians to seek international recognition for a Palestinian state on lands occupied by the Israeli regime since 1967. PLO said previously that it will attempt to obtain recognition of a sovereign state at a UN General Assembly meeting in September. Washington and Tel Aviv, however, have expressed strong opposition to the move. The Palestinian leadership reiterated that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has consistently tried to block any resumption of negotiations and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state. The United States has said that it will oppose any Palestinian attempt to secure a full membership at the United Nations in the September meeting. The PLO statement comes following the latest meeting of the Quartet of Middle East mediators in Washington before September. Currently, more than 115 countries have reportedly recognized a Palestinian state based on the pre-1967 borders, but Palestinians say they hope to gain the support of up to 150 nations. In September 2010, the Israeli regime resumed the expansion of settlements in occupied Palestinian territories after a 10-month partial freeze, prompting Palestinian Authority leaders to break off the US-sponsored talks with Tel Aviv, which had started after a lengthy stalemate.