Palestine applies for membership; UNSC to consider bid on Monday

United Nations: Palestine on Friday formally applied to the UN for its membership, Xinhua reported.

The application was forwarded to the president of the UN Security Council, hours after UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon received it from Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, a UN spokesman said.

The letter was submitted on the sidelines of the 66th General Assembly session on Friday.

Nawaf Salam, Lebanese ambassador to the UN, holds the rotating presidency of the Security Council for September.

The council, whose approval is required for new UN membership, will consider the application on Sep 26.

Earlier, Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman had said in Tel Aviv that Israel would pull out of talks with Palestine if it goes ahead with its plans to gain UN membership.

During his 40-minute speech at the assembly, the Palestinian president was greeted with applause from the packed hall of the 193-nation assembly.

Abbas said: "At a time when the Arab people affirm their quest for democracy -- the Arab Spring -- the time is now for the Palestinian Spring, the time for independence."

Meanwhile, the US, a permanent member of the UN Security Council and a close ally of Israel, threatened to veto any move to recognise Palestine on the ground that the Middle East peace should be achieved through direct talks between Palestinians and Israelis.

The UN membership is open to nations that accept the UN Charter. The General Assembly admits new member states on the recommendation of the Security Council.

UNSC to consider Palestinian statehood bid MondayThe UN Security Council will consider the Palestinians' request for statehood recognition Monday, a Council representative said on Friday.

"I received today the Palestinian bid from the general secretary and the UN Security Council will gather to consider it on Monday," Nawaf Salam, Lebanon's permanent representative at the UN told journalists.

Earlier Friday, Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas urged the UN General Assembly to end the world's "last occupation" and recognise a Palestinian state.

Abbas had earlier filed his historic request for full membership of the UN, handing his application to UN chief Ban Ki-moon.

The US has said it will veto any Palestinian request for the Security Council to grant it full membership.

Abbas has said that he will press ahead with the bid in the General Assembly if knocked back by the Security Council. But approval in the General Assembly alone would not give the Palestinians full membership status.

It would however give the Palestinians the power to take Israel to the International Criminal Court.

Delhi blast: UNSC, Ban Ki-moon condemn 'heinous' terror attack

United Nations: The UN Security Council on Thursday joined UN Chief Ban Ki-moon in strongly condemning the deadly terror attack in Delhi, saying such "heinous" acts of terrorism are "criminal and unjustifiable".

Moon expressed solidarity with the government and people of India and reiterated "his firm stance that there is no justification for indiscriminate violence against civilians," deputy UN spokesman Eduardo del Buey said.
The Secretary-General "hopes that the perpetrators will be brought to justice," Buey said.
In a separate statement read by the current UN Security Council President, Lebanon's envoy to the UN Nawaf Salam, the UNSC also "condemned in the strongest terms" the terrorist attack that killed 11 people and left over 60 injured.
"The members of the Security Council reaffirmed that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security, and that any acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of their motivation, wherever, whenever and by whomsoever committed," the 15-member council said.
Expressing sympathy and condolences to families and victims of the "heinous act", the Security Council said it is determined to combat all forms of terrorism.