Palestinian police stand while the palestinians applaud in front of a symbolic chair supporting the Palestinian statehood bid in the West Bank city of Ramallah, unveiled on Sept. 20, 2011. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is pressing ahead Tuesday with his diplomatic campaign to gain full U.N. membership, brushing aside heated Israeli objections and a promised U.S. veto as the issue of Palestinian statehood takes center stage with world leaders gathering for the opening of the U.N. General Assembly session. Photo by Issam Rimawi