September 24, 2011 - 10:56 AMT
UN to consider Palestine statehood bid Sept. 26

The UN Security Council will consider the Palestinians request for statehood recognition on September 26, a Council representative said on Friday, September 23.

"I received today the Palestinian bid from the general secretary and the UN Security Council will gather to consider it on Monday, at 15:00 [19:00 GMT], said Nawaf Salam, Lebanon's permanent representative at the UN, told journalists, RIA Novosti reported.

Earlier on Friday, Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas urged the UN General Assembly to end the world's "last occupation" and recognize a Palestinian state.

Abbas had earlier filed his historic request for full membership of the UN, handing his application to UN chief Ban Ki-moon.

The U.S has said it will veto any Palestinian request for the Security Council to grant it full membership.

Abbas has said that he will press ahead with the bid in the General Assembly if knocked back by the Security Council. But approval in the General Assembly alone would not give the Palestinians full membership status.

It would however give the Palestinians the power to take Israel to the International Criminal Court.