Middle East crisis live: Palestinian president to address UN by video after US visa block

Speech by Palestinian Authority president Mahmoud Abbas comes as growing number of countries recognise a Palestinian state

The Palestinian Authority president Mahmoud Abbas will address the United Nations general assembly shortly as the US weighs whether to try to stop Israeli annexation of the West Bank, despite opposing him.

The speech by the veteran 89-year-old comes as a slew of western nations recognise the state of Palestine.

Yemen’s President of the Presidential Leadership Council, Mohammed Al-Alimi, will address the general assembly after Abbas. The Saudi-backed PLC hold power in the south of the country but the Iran-backed Houthis control much of Yemen and are now locked in conflict with Israel.

Activists in a flotilla seeking to break Israel’s blockade of Gaza said Wednesday that some of their boats were attacked by drones. The Global Sumud Flotilla said that “at least 13 explosions” were heard, while drones or aircraft dropped “unidentified objects” on at least 10 boats. No casualties were reported but there was damage to the vessels.

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is meeting Donald Trump at the White House. The Turkish president has been one of the world’s most vocal critics of Israel for its operations in Gaza. Colleagues on our US blog will be covering their talks.