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By Hossam Ezzedine

RAMALLAH, Palestinian Territories — The Palestinians on Thursday launched a campaign in support of their UN membership bid despite U.S. opposition, as their leaders met to reaffirm plans to become the world body’s 194th member state.

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Washington, however, confirmed it would veto any such bid and an EU source said European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton was to travel to the Middle East next week for talks on the Palestinian push.

The so-called “National Campaign for Palestine: State 194” is part of the build-up to September 20, when President Mahmud Abbas is expected to submit a formal request the United Nations accept the state of Palestine as a member.

Abbas on Thursday met senior Palestinian representatives including the central committee of his Fatah party, the PLO’s executive committee and leaders of various Palestinian political parties.

The PLO committee “affirms the need to continue at the next session of the UN, the process to obtain recognition of membership for a state of Palestine on the borders of June 4, 1967, with east Jerusalem as its capital,” PLO secretary general Yasser Abed Rabbo said in a statement after the session.