Palestinians to push for full UN status

UNITED NATIONS - Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will address the United Nations Security Council on Feb 20 during the body's monthly meeting on the Middle East amid tensions over the United States decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital.

Since President Donald Trump broke from decades of US policy with his Dec 6 announcement on Jerusalem, Abbas has said he will ask the council to grant full UN membership to the Palestinians and will only accept an internationally-backed panel to broker any peace talks with Israel.

The meeting will provide a good opportunity for Council members to listen to Abbas directly, Kuwait's Ambassador to the United Nations Mansour al-Otaibi, president of the council for February, said at a press briefing.