US Begs Palestinians to Procrastinate On Statehood Bid, Gets No For An Answer

It's been rumored that the Palestinians would make another push to have the U.N. vote them into statehood status at the U.N. General Assembly meeting in September, but now the U.S. is trying to convince the Palestinian Authority to delay the vote.

"There are pressures from the United States and some Arab parties to delay the voting until after the United States presidential elections, due in November," PLO Executive Committee member Saleh Raafat told Voice of Palestine radio, according to AFP.

But Palestinian leaders say they are adamant about insisting on a vote, and will push ahead with their plans. Raafat told Voice of Palestine that Palestine will "reject this demand and insist on heading to the U.N. in September."

At least count, over 150 countries were slated to vote "yes" to Palestinian statehood, according to a spokesman for the Palestinian Authoirty's Mission to the U.N. That number is more than enough to pass the measure and elevate Palestine from observer to non-member state status.

Israel, in return, has threatened to annex much of the West Bank if Palestine's statehood comes to a vote.