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    November 11, 2011

UN Panel Deadlocked on Palestinian Membership Bid

   VOA News
   Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas (L) hands a letter to United
   Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon requesting Palestinian statehood,
   during the 66th United Nations General Assembly at the U.N.
   headquarters in New York, September 23, 2011.
   Photo: Reuters
   Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas (L) hands a letter to United
   Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon requesting Palestinian statehood,
   during the 66th United Nations General Assembly at the U.N.
   headquarters in New York, September 23, 2011.

   A U.N. Security Council committee is expected to report Friday that it
   could not reach an agreement on a Palestinian application for U.N.
   membership.
   Diplomats say the committee on admitting new members will approve a
   report that says it is deadlocked on the issue.
   The committee began considering the request in September, after
   Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas launched a bid to gain statehood
   recognition in the United Nations.
   However, Palestinians appear to have fallen short of the nine approval
   votes needed in the 15-member Security Council.
   Also, the U.S. has threatened to veto the plan if it comes before the
   full Council.
   The U.S. and other world powers have been urging the Palestinians and
   Israel to return to direct talks, which stalled a year ago.
   Palestinians say no talks can go forward unless Israel stops building
   new settlements on land they want as part of a future state.
   Meanwhile, the U.N.'s cultural agency says it had to suspend new
   programs after the U.S. cut off its funding to the agency to protest
   its decision to grant Palestinians membership.
   UNESCO Director General Irina Bokova says the U.S. move has left the
   agency with a $65 million "hole" in its 2011 budget.
   In October, Palestinians announced plans to seek membership in U.N.
   organizations to boost their effort for international recognition as an
   independent state.

   Some information for this report was provided by AFP and Reuters.

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