UNSC set to consider Palestine bid

UNITED NATIONS - The United Nations Security Council took its first official step on Wednesday to consider the Palestinians' request for UN membership.

Lebanese Ambassador Nawaf Salam, who holds this month's rotating council presidency, announced that he was forwarding the Palestinians' request to the committee on new admissions, which includes all 15 member states on the council.

The committee will meet to consider the request for membership on Friday.