BEIRUT: Palestinian groups in Lebanon and their allies mobilized in a show of support for the Palestinian bid for statehood Friday.

Hundreds of Palestinians started to gather in the Mar Elias neighborhood of Beirut as early as 2 p.m. in anticipation of President Mahmoud Abbas’ speech before the U.N. General Assembly later in the day.

The number of participants gradually increased, reaching a peak of nearly 5,000 people who were shouting in support of the recognition of the Palestinian state as Abbas was delivering his speech to the General Assembly.

The gathering saw the participation of representatives of Lebanon’s major political parties from both the rival March 14 and 8 alliances including Hezbollah, Amal, the Free Patriotic Movement, the Future Movement, the Progressive Socialist Party and the Kataeb (Phalange) party.

Addressing the crowd, Palestinian Ambassador to Lebanon Abdullah Abdullah praised the unity among the Palestinian people who rallied in support of their leadership.

Representatives of Lebanon’s political parties were also unanimous in voicing support for the Palestinian leadership and urging unity among all Palestinian factions to claim the right to a Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital.

Several Lebanese-sponsored rallies were also held in different regions of south Lebanon to express solidarity with the Palestinian leadership before President Mahmoud Abbas handed over a request for Palestine to be admitted as a state to U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.

Factions of the Palestinian Liberation Organization in Sidon held a demonstration around Siblin that was attended by Minister for the Displaced Alaaeddine Terro.

Addressing demonstrators, Terro, a Progressive Socialist Party official, urged unity among Palestinian factions that share one goal: the establishment of a Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital and the return of all refugees to their homeland.

Palestinian demandsinclude a complete freeze on Israeli settlements in the West Bank, as well as a return to 1967 borders.

Terro also condemned U.S. opposition to the Palestinian statehood bid, which the United States says would obstruct bilateral Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations.

In a speech at the U.N. General Assembly Wednesday, President Michel Sleiman expressed the Lebanese government’s backing of the establishment of a Palestinian state. Lebanon currently presides over the Security Council.

In order to be granted full membership, the Palestinian request will have to win the support of the U.N. General Assembly as well as the support of the Security Council, where it needs at least nine votes from the 15 members.

The United States, one of the body’s five permanent members, has vowed to veto the request.

Other demonstrations were also held in refugee camps near Tyre with the participation of officials of Speaker Nabih Berri’s Amal Movement. Members of the Union of Palestinian Women set up “friendly checkpoints” to express support for the statehood bid.

Palestinians have been holding demonstrations in Beirut in recent days as well, with over 2,000 gathering outside the U.N.’s offices Tuesday.

Fearing hostile reaction due to its position against the recognition of a Palestinian state, the U.S. Embassy sent an emergency message to all U.S. citizens in Lebanon warning of a possible “surge in demonstrations” over the next few days.

The message, sent via email, urged Americans to avoid crowds or rallies as well as any areas that have been focal points for demonstrations in the past, such as Martyr’s Square and Riad Solh square.

The embassy also counseled U.S. citizens to stay away from refugee camps and advised them to keep a low profile in public.

For his part, Sheikh Abdel-Amir Qabalan, the vice president of the Higher Shiite Council, lashed out in his Friday sermon at U.S. President Barack Obama for rejecting the Palestinian bid for statehood in his speech at the U.N. General Assembly.

He also criticized Arab leaders for not leaving the General Assembly session after Obama delivered his speech.

“U.S. President Barack Obama does not recognize the presence of the Palestinian people while there are some [Arab leaders] who are still betting on America, which planted Israel in the heart of the Arab nation,” Qabalan said in his sermon.

“Therefore, the Arabs are required to act to support the Palestinian people, defend the [Arab] nation’s rights and stand in the face of Israel,” he added. “We are demanding a Palestinian state from the [Mediterranean] Sea to the [Jordan] River and not within the 1967 borders.”