Updates from the UN and the Epicenter

I'm going to keep this post open and add to it as today's events progress. Thus far we've had Abbas speak and the presentation of the official UNSC request - at the same time more violence is breaking out in the epicenter:

Abbas urges Israel to 'come to peace' during UN speech

PA president blames Israel for failed peace talks during UNGA speech; UN spokesman says Abbas handed UN chief a letter requesting full UN membership for a Palestinian state, which the Security Council must consider.

Abbas said the Palestinians would continue peaceful, popular resistance to Israeli occupation and warned that Jewish settlement construction threatens both to destroy the two-state solution and the survival of his fledgling government, the Palestinian Authority.

Just prior to his speech, Abbas asked the United Nations to recognize a state for his people, even though the United States has vowed to veto the move.

UN spokesman Farhan Haq said Abbas handed Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon a letter requesting full UN membership, which the Security Council must consider -- although this may take some time.

Israeli diplomatic officials said Thursday that Ban, however, will not immediately pass the request on, giving the Quartet – the US, EU, Russia and UN – time to come up with a statement agreed upon by both sides that would form the parameters for relaunching negotiations.

"It is not a secret that the US administration has done everything it could to prevent us from going (to the United Nations)," Abbas, 76, told reporters late on Thursday.

"But we're going without any hesitation and we will continue whatever the pressure ... because we are asking for our right, because we want our independent state," he added.

'Palestinian killed in W. Bank clashes with the IDF

A Palestinian was reportedly killed on Friday during clashes with the IDF outside the village of Qusra in the West Bank, marking the first casualty since riots began earlier this week in conjunction with the Palestinian Authority’s bid for statehood at the United Nations.

The IDF said that it was looking into the reports and had launched a joint investigation with PA security forces. The Ma’an News Agency identified the dead man as Issam Kamal Odeh, 33, and said he was shot by two bullets in the neck and shoulder during clashes with the IDF troops near Qusra and not far from the city of Nablus.

Earlier in the day, violence broke out in East Jerusalem and at the Kalandiya Crossing north of Jerusalem. A number of East Jerusalem Arabs and Palestinians were arrested by police. Other protests were held at the villages of Bilin and Nilin near the West Bank security barrier

Police Insp.-Gen. Yochanan Danino said security forces were deployed across the country with a special emphasis on Jerusalem and the border around Jerusalem. Danino and Ahronovitch planned to tour the Jerusalem-West Bank border and the Kalandia checkpoint later this afternoon.

Hundreds of east Jerusalem residents are expected to gather at Damascus Gate this evening for a showing of Abbas' speech on a giant screen.

Arabs Riot in Judea and Samaria

About 110 Palestinian Authority Arabs and leftist activists threw stones at security forces on Friday afternoon near the Arab villages of Bilin and Na’alin. In a separate protest, about 120 PA Arabs were throwing stones at security forces near the community of Neve Tzuf. Another 100 Arabs were rioting near the Qalandiya checkpoint.

In all incidents, security forces responded by using riot dispersal means.

Also see:

Palestinian Authority Apocalypse

More updates to come. PM Netanyahu's speech is pending, as are further developments in Israel.

UPDATES:

Netanyahu: Peace Can't be forged through UN resolutions

Prime minister addresses UN General Assembly after Palestinians submit statehood request to Ban Ki-moon; "Palestinians want a state without peace. You should not let that happen," he tells plenum.

Netanyahu's speech came less than an hour after Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas addressed the assembly, confirming that he had officially submitted a request for full recognition of a Palestinian state at the UN.

The prime minister said that despite popular perception, Israel and he himself want peace, but that peace "must be anchored in security" and can not be forged by UN resolutions.

Netanyahu criticized the hypocrisy of the United Nations, noting that the UN Security Council is now headed by Lebanon, who is controlled by Hezbollah - a group considered a terrorist organization by the United States, Israel, and the European Union.

The UN, Netanyahu said, denounces Israel more than any other nation.

The prime minister referenced Thursday's speech to the UN General Assembly by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, in which he attack Israel and the US. Netanyahu stated that while some diplomats had walked out on the speech, everyone should have left during the hateful speech.