US President Barack Obama on Wednesday called on the Palestinians to return to the negotiating table with Israel rather than seek statehood through the United Nations, DPA reported.
"I am convinced that there is no short cut to the end of a conflict that has endured for decades. Peace is hard work. Peace will not come through statements and resolutions at the UN - if it were that easy, it would have been accomplished by now," he said.
"Ultimately, it is Israelis and Palestinians who must live side by side. Ultimately, it is Israelis and Palestinians - not us - who must reach agreement on the issues that divide them: on borders and security; on refugees and Jerusalem."
Palestinians, Israelis and the United States have been scrambling to line up support in the UN Security Council before President Mahmoud Abbas is scheduled to apply for UN membership and deliver a much-anticipated address to the General Assembly on Friday.
Obama, who described himself as "frustrated" with the stalemate between the Israelis and Palestinians, was involved in last minute diplomacy to bring the sides together and prevent a Security Council vote. He met directly after his speech with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and was to meet with Abbas at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel Wednesday evening.
"The bonds between the US and Israel are unbreakable," Obama said alongside Netanyahu. "Peace cannot be imposed on the parties. It's going to have to be negotiated ... The ultimate goal of all of us is two states side by side living in peace."
The Israeli leader thanked Obama "for standing with Israel and supporting peace."
The US has vowed to veto the Palestinian bid in the Security Council, but such a move risks alienating Washington from the Arab world during a critical time in the region.
And Obama's attempt to walk the diplomatic tightrope in New York did not go down well among Palestinians.
"We have had 20 years of negotiations and still Obama wants to take more time. This just does not make sense," said Mustafa Barghouti, head of the Palestinian National Initiative.
As a way of a compromise, French President Nicolas Sarkozy proposed that the UN grant the Palestinians observer state status, while Israelis and Palestinians should resume peace talks within one month with the aim of reaching a definitive agreement within one year.
"Let's have one month to resume discussions, six months to find an agreement on borders and security and one year to reach a definite agreement," Sarkozy proposed.
The status of observer state would be less than full UN membership.
In the West Bank, meanwhile, thousands of people rallied in support of the Palestinian UN bid.
The rally kicked off in Ramallah's Yasser Arafat square, dominated by a huge sign with the words "UN 194" on it, in reference to the Palestinian attempt to become the 194th member of the United Nations.
Many of the estimated 20,000 crowd waved large Palestinian flags, or carried banners either in support of UN membership, or condemning a likely US veto.
The UN General Assembly began Wednesday its 66th annual session attended by all UN members and world organizations, whose representatives in succession will address the body until mid-next week.