Palestinian President Abbas to launch "diplomatic bombshell"

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has told Egyptian television that he will launch a "diplomatic bombshell" this week to solve the Palestinian issue.

It will be a diplomatic and political move, according to Abbas, who says it will be a "surprise". It will not be a declaration of war on Israel, according to Haaretz, but it will be a proposal sent to US Secretary of State John Kerry that is "unlikely to receive a warm response from Washington."

He said the initiative "enjoys broad Arab support" and the announcement came after the Palestinian president visited Cairo.