President Abbas Asks For Justice From UN, Request For Palestinian Territories To Be Recognized As State

From CNN.

A proud day for those who have fought so hard, and never allowed the dream of a homeland to drift away.

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas formally asked the United Nations to recognize his territories as a state. 

Abbas was greeted with a long round of applause as he began his speech. 

He told members of the U.N. General Assembly that Israel is in a “race against time to redraw the borders,” which harms the lives of tens of thousands of Palestinian families. 

Less than an hour after Abbas was to end his speech, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will give a rebuttal speech declaring the request a unilateral move that will only hinder the prospect of true peace in the region. 

In Ramallah, in the West Bank, crowds greeted news that Abbas had formally filed the statehood request with cheers, song and dance. 

Mass demonstrations are planned for Friday in New York and are expected across the Middle East.