Abbas Returns, Hailed as Hero

Mahmoud Abbas returned home today to something of a rock star's welcome: Cheering crowds chanting his name and waving Palestinian flags greeted the president, who is fresh off his successful bid to have the United Nations recognize Palestine, reports al-Jazeera. "Yes, now we have a state," Abbas told crowds assembled in the West Bank. "The world has said loudly, `Yes, to the state of Palestine.'"

It's not all roses for Abbas, however: Israel announced plans for 3,000 new settlement homes mere hours after the UN vote. And the AP notes that it's following through on its threat to withhold some $100 million of revenue it collects each month on behalf of the Palestinian Authority, which Israel says owes $200 million to the Israel Electric Corporation. (More Mahmoud Abbas stories.)