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Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas told the United Nations Thursday he will seek an upgrade this year in Palestinians鈥� official international status 鈥� a move opposed by the United States and Israel as a threat to reaching a negotiated settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Mr. Abbas said he would seek 鈥渘onmember observer state status鈥� from the UN鈥檚 General Assembly, a move that would offer the Palestinians access to additional international venues and recourse to institutions such as the International Criminal Court.

The Palestinian leader painted his initiative as intended to enhance Palestinians鈥� rights and long struggle for statehood. It also appeared to be an attempt to put the Palestinian issue back on the world鈥檚 agenda.

At a UN session largely captured by Iran鈥檚 nuclear program and Syria鈥檚 civil war, Abbas鈥檚 speech was a reminder to the global community that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict remains a nagging source of instability and resentment in Arab countries and much of the Muslim world.

Abbas painted a dire picture of deteriorating conditions over the past year in Palestinian territories, going so far as to accuse Israeli officials of 鈥渆thnic cleansing鈥� in neighborhoods of East Jerusalem where Arabs have faced eviction.

Israel鈥檚 tight control on Palestinian funding and living conditions, he warned, could lead to a collapse of Palestinian governing institutions 鈥� an outcome he said should be favored by no one already worried about instability in the region.

While Abbas鈥檚 speech received prolonged applause from the UN Assembly, it was curtly dismissed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who followed Abbas to the podium.

鈥淚 say to him [Abbas] and I say to you, we cannot solve our conflict with libelous speeches at the UN,鈥� Mr. Netanyahu said. He also said that 鈥渦nilateral declarations of statehood鈥� would not lead to a resolution.

Last year, Abbas tried to achieve full statehood for Palestinians through the UN Security Council, but the bid ran into a brick wall of US opposition. Abbas鈥檚 effort infuriated President Obama, who had launched several high-profile attempts at restarting the peace process. This year, Abbas has said that, while he wants to achieve 鈥渘onmember observer state status鈥� by the end of the year, he will wait until after the US elections to submit a formal request.

The US, agreeing with Israel, insists that only direct talks between the two parties can resolve the conflict and result in a Palestinian state.

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton reaffirmed this position when she met with Abbas Wednesday evening, according to administration officials.

鈥淲e鈥檝e made clear all along our position on this to him publicly, privately, in every way, so there are no surprises on our part,鈥� says one senior State Department official who spoke on condition of anonymity. 鈥淲e have made very clear that our goal is to resume direct talks and that the idea of going to the UN is not the road that takes us there.鈥�