Palestine president Abbas seeks UN recognition

UNDATED (WHDH) -- President Mahmoud Abbas is preparing for a trip to New York to seek U.N. recognition of a Palestinian state.

Under the plan, the U.N. General Assembly would approve Palestine, made up of the West bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem, as a non-member state.

Abbas is formally the leader of all Palestinians but is now only in charge in parts of the west bank.

He greeted supporters outside his office in Ramallah Sunday before leaving for the United States.

His visit follows a ceasefire agreement reached last week ending an eight-day Israeli offensive on Hamas in the Gaza strip.

Years of efforts by Abbas to negotiate the terms of a Palestinian state with Israel have failed.