Abbas: We’ll go to UN for statehood no matter whose toes we step on

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas is adamant about gaining UN recognition of Palestine as an occupied state rather than a disputed territory, Palestinian news source Ma’an reported on Wednesday.

Speaking near Nablus at the Al-Najah National University, Abbas promised to continue his campaign regardless of the obstacles he may face.

“Even if this step conflicts with other parties’ interests, we will not step back,” he said. “Israel neither halted settlement activities, nor recognized the Palestinian territory occupied in 1967 as occupied territory. Thus, the only choice we have is to go to the UN equipped with a united Arab stance.”

Abbas is expected to make a bid for UN recognition of a Palestinian state in November, a move that will be opposed by Israel and likely the US too.

In 2011 the US and Israel blocked a move by Abbas for recognition and recent reports say that Israel and the US are trying to prevent another attempt this year.

Abbas also condemned Sunday’s terror attack on Egyptian border police troops and said he had offered his condolences to Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi. The Palestinian leader said he ordered flags in the areas under his control to be lowered to half mast as a sign of respect.

Addressing Syria, Abbas said he will resist pressure to become involved in the civil war there because, he said, Palestinians avoid intervention in internal affairs of Arab states.

“The Syrian people have offered much support to the Palestinian cause and we hope Syria will recover as it is the pulse of the Arab world,” he said.