Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas will address the United Nations virtually as the United States, despite its opposition to him, weighs whether to try to stop Israeli annexation of the West Bank, AFP reports.

The veteran 89-year-old Palestinian Authority president will address the UN General Assembly three days after France led a special summit in which a slew of Western nations recognised a state of Palestine.

The General Assembly had overwhelmingly voted to let Abbas address the world body with a video message.