In pictures: Rallies held as Palestinians push for statehood

Palestinians take part in a rally in the West Bank town of Ramallah supporting Palestinian statehood, on 21 September 2011. Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas is preparing to submit a formal request for Palestine to become the 194th member of the United Nations despite opposition from Israeli and the US. Ated Safadi / EPA

Israeli soldiers shoot tear gas at Palestinian protesters at Kalandia checkpoint, on a road from the West Bank to Jerusalem, on 21 September 2011. Palestinians from all over the West Bank participated in rallys to show their support as Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas prepares to submit a formal request for Palestine to become the 194th member of the United Nations. Atef Safadi / EPA

Palestinian youths throw stones towards Israeli soldiers during a protest in the West Bank city of Hebron 21 September 2011. Abed al Hashlamoun / EPA

People wave a giant Palestinian flag on the square in front of the Opera on September 21, 2011 in Paris, to support the Palestinian bid to seek full United Nations membership as a Palestinian state. French President Nicolas Sarkozy called today on the United Nations to admit Palestine as a non-member state, upgrading its status as simple observer but opposing a Palestinian bid for full membership. Mehdi Fedouach / AFP Photo

French president Nicolas Sarkozy speaks to the United Nations General Assembly September 21, 2011 at UN headquarters in New York. Stan Honda / AFP Photo

President of the Palestinian National Authority Mahmoud Abbas, left, sits in the general debate at the 66th session of the United Nations General Assembly at United Nations headquarters in New York, New York, USA, on 21 September 2011. A senior Palestinian official said that the Palestinian Authority has so far enlisted the support of at least six or seven members of the Security Council, and was trying to convince two or three more to vote in favour of accepting Palestine as a United Nations member state. Jason Szenes / EPA

A Palestinians boy stands beside bags of monthly food aid with words 'peace starts here' written on it at a UN distribution centre, at the Shatie refugee camp in Gaza Strip, 21 September 2011. Ali Ali / EPA

French Jewish union for peace (UJFP) members hold a placard during a demonstration on the square in front of the Opera on September 21, 2011 in Paris, to support Palestinian bid to seek full United Nations membership as a Palestinian state. French President Nicolas Sarkozy called today on the United Nations to admit Palestine as a non-member state, upgrading its status as simple observer but opposing a Palestinian bid for full membership. AFP PHOTO / MEHDI FEDOUACH *** Local Caption *** 882070-01-08.jpg

A member of the radical ultra-Orthodox Jewish Neturei Karta anti-Zionist sect holds a sign reading in Arabic: "We ask for a Palestinian state on all of Palestine", as he and others hold Palestinian flags and pray at Joseph's Tomb in the West Bank city of Nablus, Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2011. Thousands of flag-waving Palestinians rallied Wednesday in towns across the West Bank to show support for their president's bid to win U.N. recognition of a Palestinian state. (AP Photo/Nasser Ishtayeh) *** Local Caption *** Mideast Israel Palestinians.JPEG-07626.jpg