Palestinians Begin Statehood Quest With Letter

Hoping to prove the pen is mightier than the sword, the push for Palestinian independence at the UN begins anew.

The Palestinian campaign to gain recognition as a full state at the United Nations officially began today with leading authorities from the occupied territories gathering at the UN offices in Ramallah to sign a letter to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon informing him of their intent to pursue statehood. With peace talks between Israel and Palestine stalled for what seems like forever, Palestinian officials say they will stage peaceful events around the world leading up to the Sept. 21 opening of the UN General Assembly. After that, President Mahmoud Abbas will ask the assembly for their permission to join, which many figure will help Palestine gain some international backing for their plan to reclaim the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem – essentially, a restoration of the pre-1967 borders. Israel, so far, has remained unenthused.