'UN hall of darkness for Israel'

Fri Sep 23, 2011 7:33PM GMT

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addresses the 66th session of the United Nations General Assembly on Friday, Sept. 23, 2011.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has described the UN General Assembly as a ''hall of darkness'' for Israel.

Addressing the UN General Assembly shortly after acting Palestinian Authority Chief Mahmoud Abbas, Netanyahu said on Friday that Israel has been singled out for criticism during the annual convention.

He also said that a Palestinian state can only be achieved through talks with Israel, adding that Palestinians must first make peace with Israel and then get their state.

The Israeli prime minister also invited Abbas to direct negotiations without delay in New York.

"Let's meet today in the United Nations," Netanyahu said.

His call for the resumption of the so-called peace talks comes despite Tel Aviv's refusal to freeze settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian lands, which is considered as the main obstacle to peace.

At the 66th session of the United Nations General Assembly, many countries, including Iran, criticized the Israeli occupation of Palestinian lands and its hostile policy towards Palestinians.

Mahmud Abbas officially submitted his bid for the UN recognition of a Palestinian state to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Friday, saying that he decided to request for UN membership of his state after Israel smashed all efforts to reach a peace through talks.

"All of these sincere efforts and endeavors undertaken by international parties were repeatedly smashed against the rocks of the positions of the Israeli government, which quickly dashed the hopes raised by the launch of negotiations last September," he told the UN General Assembly, where he received a standing ovation.

He also described expansion of the illegal Jewish settlements on Palestinian lands as the main cause of the collapse of peace talks, adding that PA is ready to return to negotiations if Tel Aviv halts its settlement activities.

Abbas said the time has come for Palestinians to be given the right to be called citizens of their own state.

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