RAMALLAH, West Bank –  Palestinian officials say their president is moving forward with his plan to seek upgraded observer status at the United Nations next month, despite American and Israeli threats of financial or diplomatic retaliation.

One official said Mahmoud Abbas is expected to ask the General Assembly to approve a Palestinian request for “nonmember state” status on Nov. 15 or Nov. 29. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because no formal decision has been made.

Both dates are symbolic. The 15th is the anniversary of the 1988 Palestinian declaration of independence. The 29th is the anniversary of the 1947 U.N. decision to partition of what was then British-ruled Palestine into Israeli and Arab territories. Jewish leaders agreed, but Arabs rejected the plan, war erupted, and the Palestinians remain without a state.

(www.foxnews.com / 28.10.2012)