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Kerry and Abbas meet ahead of expected Palestinian diplomatic manoeuver

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US Secretary of State John Kerry met yesterday in New York with Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas, with the Palestinian leader preparing to use this week’s opening of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly to rally support for imposing an Israeli West Bank withdrawal.

According to a State Department official, the two leaders agreed on the importance of providing humanitarian aid to Gaza in the wake of this summer’s 50-day Operation Protective Edge. Kerry also reiterated Washington’s support for a two-state solution and its willingness to support negotiations.

Abbas is in the United States as world leaders gather for the opening of the UN General Assembly later this week. Scheduled to speak to the body on Friday, Abbas is widely expected to demand that the General Assembly pass a resolution mandating that Israel withdraw from the West Bank within three years. US leaders have repeatedly opposed such unilateral actions as detrimental to the chances of successful bilateral Israeli-Palestinian talks. Nonetheless, senior Palestinian leader Jibril Rajoub is quoted by Israeli news site NRG saying that Abbas will drop a “diplomatic bombshell” on Friday.

In what appeared a preview of Friday’s speech, Abbas spoke at Cooper Union yesterday, saying, “This week I will propose to the United Nations a new timetable for peace talks.” Should the UN reject his plan, Abbas said he would seek membership of the International Criminal Court.

Meanwhile, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to speak at the General Assembly early next week, prior to a meeting with US President Barack Obama in Washington next Wednesday. It will be their first meeting for seven months. The ongoing talks surrounding Iran’s nuclear programme are expected to top the agenda.

It is also widely reported that Prime Minister David Cameron will meet Iran’s President Rouhani during the coming days at the UN gathering in New York. Such a meeting would be the first between the leaders of the two governments since Iran’s Islamic Revolution in 1979.