The Palestinians have no choice but to take their case to the United Nations following a speech to the US Congress by Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu, a Palestinian negotiator has said.
"After the Netanyahu speech, the Palestinians have only one choice -- to go to the UN in September, to the General Assembly," negotiator Mohammed Shtayeh told AFP, referring to plans to seek UN recognition in September of Palestinian statehood.
Netanyahu's address to both houses of Congress was widely seen by analysts and commentators as offering the Palestinians nothing of sufficient substance to pave the way for a relaunch of peace talks which broke down late last year in an intractable dispute about Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank.
BARRIER IS 'DEVASTATING'
Meanwhile, a senior UN official has said the controversial Israeli security barrier that snakes through the West Bank has a "devastating" impact on the daily lives of Palestinians.
"I witnessed first hand the impact of the barrier on Palestinian communities. I was deeply disturbed by what I saw," said Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Valerie Amos.
The barrier -- a network of walls, fences and closed military roads -- meanders through the West Bank, territory occupied by Israel in 1967 on which the Palestinians hope to build a state.
Israel says the barrier is designed to prevent attacks, but the Palestinians view it as an "apartheid wall" that carves off key parts of their future state.
BASIC SERVICES INACCESSIBLE
The barrier "cuts off communities from basic services, denies people access from their homes and leave thousands of people dependent on humanitarian handouts," said Amos.
When the 709-kilometers (435-miles) long barrier is complete, 85 percent of it will have been built inside the West Bank.
"I recognize Israel's concern about security," Amos said, "but the impact of the barrier is devastating. It's clear that civilians are bearing the brunt of the continuing conflict and occupation."
LIFT THE BLOCKADE
Amos also "reiterated the importance of lifting the blockade of Gaza to facilitate economic development," while emphasizing that Israelis "have the right to live without fear of attack.
"This indiscriminate violence must stop and the Palestinian authorities must take strong measures to prevent security incidents affecting Israeli communities," she said.
Ultimately, both the Palestinians and the Israelis want "to live normal lives in peace, security end dignity," she said.
