Palestinians ‘seek attention’

The Palestinians’ bid to upgrade their status at the United Nations would find majority support there, but would not bring them closer to statehood, Israel’s UN envoy said yesterday.

Citing stalled peacemaking and Israeli settlement-building on occupied West Bank land, the Palestinians said on Saturday they would renew a bid to win recognition as a state.

Ron Prosor, the Israeli UN ambassador, accused them of trying to recapture international attention that has shifted to crises in Iran, Egypt and Syria. He said: “It is important to remember that the path to peace is through the negotiating table with Israel.”