'Obama agrees to recognize Palestine's statehood'

US President Barack Obama in a secret meeting with Palestinian officials has agreed to recognize Palestine's statehood, Israeli media outlets report.

The Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Salam Fayyad has reached a secret understanding with the Obama administration over US recognition of an independent Palestinian state, Israeli news website, Haaretz, reported in Sunday.

Tel Aviv is concerned about the possibility of a unilateral Palestinian declaration of independence within the 1967 borders.

The report added that the Palestinian Authority Prime Minister is seeking a new Security Council resolution to replace Resolutions 242 and 338 in a bid to win the international community's support for the borders of a Palestinian state. The move might apply stronger pressure on Israel to withdraw from the West Bank.

Several Israeli officials told Haaretz that Fayyad had spoken to them of positive responses he had received over the plan from prominent EU member states, including the UK, France, Spain and Sweden.

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has recently asked the US administration to veto any such proposal.

Israeli sources said Netanyahu, who is expected to arrive in Washington on Sunday, earlier held talks with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and special Mideast envoy George Mitchell to persuade the US not to support the Palestinian proposal which could potentially be recognized by the United Nations Security Council.