The Palestinian people are "long overdue" in their quest for an independent state, United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said on Friday, September 9, ahead of a Palestinian push for statehood in the UN planned for later this month.

Ban's comments came a day after Palestinian activists launched a campaign for the recognition of a Palestinian state in the United Nations. The move contradicts earlier reports that the Palestinian Authority was the one who issued the request.

"The two state vision where Israel and Palestinians can live... side by side in peace and security -- that is a still a valid vision and I fully support it."

"And I support also the statehood of Palestinians; an independent, sovereign state of Palestine. It has been long overdue," Haaretz quoing him as saying.

The U.S. President Barack Obama administration, however, has announced for the first time publicly that it will veto any bid by the Palestinians to seek statehood recognition later this month at the United Nations, a move Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas called “too late” to stop them.

The U.S. view is that Palestinian statehood should only come as a result of direct negotiations with Israel.

The Palestinian government plans to ask the Security Council for a vote on full membership status on Sept. 19. If, as now looks certain, the U.S. vetoes the bid, the Palestinians may ask for recognition from the General Assembly, where the vast majority of countries are believed to back statehood.

The General Assembly cannot grant sovereign status, but can upgrade the Palestinian Authority’s U.N. status from “observer” to “non-member state”, the same recognition the Vatican receives. This would open the way for Palestinians to join U.N. bodies and conventions, and pursue claims against Israel in the International Criminal Court, according to Politico.