Obama Warns Abbas of Veto

Following his U.N. address on Wednesday, President Obama convened with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and warned that the U.S. would veto a bid for Palestinian statehood in the U.N. Security Council. Abbas’s spokesman told Reuters that both leaders reiterated their positions during the meeting, with Abbas vowing to move forward with his bid and Obama promising to shut it down. Earlier in the day, Obama said that Palestine deserved statehood but only through direct negotiations with Israel. “Peace will not come through statements and resolutions at the U.N.,” he told the assembly. “Ultimately, it is the Israelis and Palestinians—not us—who must reach agreement on the issues that divide them.” Once the request reaches the Security Council—a body of 15 states that has the sole authority to grant membership—a full review could take weeks or even months.