Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas will address the United Nations virtually on Thursday as the United States, despite its opposition to him, weighs whether to try to stop Israeli annexation of the West Bank.

The veteran 89-year-old Palestinian Authority president will address the UN General Assembly three days after France led a special summit in which a slew of Western nations recognized a state of Palestine.

US President Donald Trump's administration adamantly rejected statehood and, in a highly unusual step, barred Abbas and his senior aides from traveling to New York for the annual gathering of world leaders.

The General Assembly overwhelmingly voted to let Abbas address the world body with a video message.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed not to allow a Palestinia

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