RAMALLAH (BNO NEWS) -- Hundreds of Palestinian and Israeli women on Saturday demonstrated at Israel's Qalandia checkpoint between the West Bank city of Ramallah and East Jerusalem in support of the Palestinian statehood bid at the United Nations (UN), local media reported.
According to witnesses, a group of demonstrators which included Israeli and international supporters were prevented from crossing the checkpoint to join the protest on the Palestinian side. Both protests called for an end to the 'Israeli occupation' and supported the Palestinian UN bid, according to Palestine News and Information Agency.
Israeli soldiers had placed cement blocks earlier, restricting free movement across the checkpoint for people trying to cross into Jerusalem or Ramallah. Afaf Gattash, member of the General Union of Palestinian Women, which organized the demonstration, stressed Israeli soldiers attempted to provoke the participants.
Meanwhile, the Israel Defense Forces Spokesman's Office tweeted that firebombs, bottles and rocks were thrown at journalists at the end of the rally. Spokesman Captain Barak Raz said commanders were instructed to allow the protest to take place but also to prevent violent instigators from taking advantage of the situation, according to the Jerusalem Post.
The Palestinians are scheduled to submit their request to the UN Security Council on September 23. However, the United States has said it will veto any Palestinian bid to seek a full United Nations membership.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has said he is ready to restart the peace talks after he gets the UN recognition of the Palestinian state. The peace negotiations have been stalled since last year when Israel refused to extend a moratorium on settlement building in the occupied Palestinian territory.
Palestine has demanded a stop to settlement construction in the disputed East Jerusalem and West Bank area as a key element for continuing peace talks, aimed at reaching a two-state solution based on the 1967 Green Line. However, Israeli authorities have rejected the Palestinian solution based on the 1967 borders as that measure would leave a large population of Israelis in Judea and Samaria outside Israel's borders.
About 120 out of 193 countries have currently recognized the State of Palestine and those are seen as possible supporters if the UN votes on the issue. If the UN Security Council resolution to recognize Palestine is approved, Palestine would become the 194th member of the United Nations.