'US-Palestinian ties strained over statehood campaign'

Even if PA refrains from taking bid to UN Security Council, it will have damaged ties with, according to Arabic daily 'Al Hayat' report.

By JPOST.COM STAFF
Abbas 311 (photo credit: REUTERS/Dado Ruvic)
Abbas 311
(photo credit: REUTERS/Dado Ruvic)
Even if the Palestinian Authority refrains from taking its bid to the United Nations Security Council, its statehood campaign will have damaged Palestinian-US ties, officials in the US administration said according to a Saturday report in London based Arabic daily Al Hayat.
According to the report, the statement was made not only "from officials close to Israel, such as White House adviser Dennis Ross, but also others such as [Special Assistant to US President Barack Obama] Samantha Powers."
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Negative repercussions may include a limiting US aide to the PA, Al-Hayat said.
The US State Department said on Friday that Washington remains committed to getting Israel and the Palestinians back to the negotiating table following a televised speech by Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, in which he vowed to demand full membership for a Palestinian state at the United Nations.
"What we are focused on is ... getting them back to the table so that they can address the many final status issues and reach a comprehensive peace agreement that results in two states living side by side," State Department spokesman Mark Toner said.
The United States has firmly opposed the PA initiative, arguing that a Palestinian state can only be created through direct negotiations.