Saeb Erekat: "Israel no partner"

Symbolic actions

"Israel is lobbying against the Palestinians' UN bid.

But European Union states, UN diplomats say, are looking increasingly favourably on the idea of recognising a Palestinian state.

Obama criticised the Palestinian push in his Middle East speech on Thursday, dismissing it as "symbolic actions to isolate Israel at the United Nations."

In February, the United States struck down a Security Council motion that would have branded the West Bank settlements as illegal.

The Palestinians currently have the status of UN observers without voting rights. The Vatican and European Union have the same status.

Israel disputes the Palestinian claim on all of territory based on the 1967 borders. Gaza, the other half of the Palestinian polity, was evacuated by the Israelis in 2005"