ISRAEL: Army Prepares For Riots After UN Vote On Palestinian Statehood

Next month the Palestinian Authority will request recognition from the United Nations. The Israeli army is reportedly stockpiling stun grenades and other "crowd control" measures in anticipation of the reaction to the UN's vote.

The PA plans to ask the UN for recognition, though it has not yet decided whether to pursue full recognition or "non-member observer state" status, which would put it on a par with the Vatican. The latter requires only a two-thirds vote in the General Assembly, while full recognition also needs approval at the Security Council, where the United States has promised to veto the measure. The PA has not yet drafted a final resolution requesting recognition; Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas plans to submit it at the General Assembly next month. Several EU member states, including France and the United Kingdom, have said they will wait to see the final resolution before deciding their vote. Four EU members - Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and the Czech Republic - have already said that they plan to vote against the measure. Ashton hinted, though, that the EU could endorse the measure. "I would hope to see something that the European Union is able to support," Ashton said on Monday.