“We will go to the UN to obtain international recognition for the state of Palestine, despite the obstacles and dangers, including U.S. threats to halt $470 million in annual assistance.”-Mahmoud Abbas, Acting Palestinian Authority (PA) Chief

Recently the United States said it would cut off aid (aid which is directly controlled by the Israelis) if Palestinians sought a United Nations vote on statehood.

More than 100 countries have so far officially recognized Palestine as a sovereign state based on the 1967 borders, the boundaries that existed before Israel militarily annexed East al-Quds (Jerusalem), the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

The Palestinian Authority has declared September 20 as the date when it would apply for United Nations recognition of Palestine as an independent state.