BBC News with Gaenor Howells
The Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has received rousing applause at the United Nations General Assembly after flourishing his formal application for UN membership for a Palestinian state. The United States had opposed the move, threatening to veto it at any Security Council vote. Mr Abbas said Palestinians wanted a greater role for the UN since previous international peace efforts had failed because of what he called Israel's intransigence. Mr Abbas was speaking through a translator.
"It is time for the Palestinian people to gain their freedom and independence. The time has come to end the suffering and the plight of millions of Palestinian refugees in the homeland and the Diaspora, to end their displacement and to realise their rights, some of whom were forced to take refuge more than once in different places of the world."
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has told the UN he was extending the hand of friendship to all countries of the Middle East but in particular to the Palestinian people. But he said lasting peace could only be achieved through direct negotiations. Kim Ghattas reports from the UN.
Benjamin Netanyahu said he was ready to travel to Ramallah to meet the Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. He went on to say even better let's meet here today at the United Nations. The Israeli leader said Israel wanted peace but this could not be achieved through UN resolutions. Mr Netanyahu then said the Palestinians were still refusing to recognise Israel as a Jewish state. The Palestine Liberation Organisation recognised the state of Israel in 1993.