DUBAI/MOSCOW: Russia put its growing ties with Israel to the test Monday by announcing plans to back a controversial Palestinian bid to win U.N. statehood despite strong resistance from the Jewish state.

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia’s former top U.S. diplomat pressed the United States to support a Palestinian bid to upgrade its U.N. status, saying that its longtime ally would “risk losing the little credibility it has in the Arab world” if it failed to do so.

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