Arabs League to seek PA upgrade at UN

The Palestinian Authority has received a boost from the Arab League in its quest for UN recognition: The Arab League will apply to upgrade the PA to full member status at the United Nations, according to a draft statement from a League meeting in Qatar on Thursday.

"It was decided to go to the United Nations to request the recognition of the state of Palestine with East Jerusalem as its capital and to move ahead and request a full membership," said the communiqué. 

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Arab League officials convened in Doha, Qatar, on Thursday to discuss their steps before September.

According to Nabil Abu Rdeina, spokesman for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, the decision was made by the League's peace process follow-up committee.

Following the committee's meeting, Arab League Secretary-General Nabil al-Arabi said that the pan-Arab body has decided to appeal to the United Nations on the matter, adding it will submit an official request for the recognition of Palestinian as a full member-nation in the UN.

Ahmad Ben Hilli, deputy secretary-general of the Arab League, told reporters that Abbas attended the meeting and presented the committee with a comprehensive report about the PLO's future plans on the UN bid and the peace process in light of the latest Quartet meeting.

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