Your week in political quotes

(LIN) – As world leaders meet at the 66th United Nations General Assembly in New York, they will determine the fate of Palestinian’s controversial bid for statehood. Here’s what was said this week about the Palestinian bid as well as a new deficit plan and the repeal of an 18-year-old U.S. military policy.

"The aim of this is try to elevate the Palestinians to a more equal footing so that this disparity that existed over the last 18 years, which allowed Israel to exploit it to its advantage, can end and they can talk now to an equal member state of the United Nations." -- Maen Rashid Areikat, the Palestinians' top representative to the U.S. in a statement as the United States and Europe scrambles for a strategy that would help avoid a jarring showdown over whether to admit an independent Palestine as a new United Nations member.

"We continue to believe and are pressing the point that the only way to a two-state solution, which is what we support and want to see happen, is through negotiations. No matter what does or doesn't happen this week, it will not produce the kind of result that everyone is hoping for." -- Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, after the White House insisted there was still time to avert a divisive showdown over Palestinian statehood.

"We would not be here today at this very precipice of such a dangerous move if the Obama policy in the Middle East wasn't naïve and arrogant, misguided and dangerous." -- 2012 presidential candidate Gov. Rick Perry, R-Texas, criticizing President Barack Obama for demanding concessions from Israel and claiming that the president had emboldened the Palestinians to take their case to the United Nations.

"I've forgotten more about Israel than Rick Perry knows about Israel." -- 2012 presidential candidate and former Sen. Rick Santorum, R-Pa., responding to Perry’s statement.

"This is life-changing. I just want to be able to breathe -- knowing I can call my partner at work and have a conversation without it having to be in code." -- Army Captain Cathy Cooper, in comments two days before the military policy known as "don't ask, don't tell" expired.

"I am committed to removing all of the barriers that would prevent Americans from serving their country and from rising to the highest level of responsibility that their talents and capabilities warrant." -- Defense Secretary Leon Panetta at a Pentagon news conference after "don’t ask, don’t tell" officially expired.

"This is not class warfare. It's math." -- Obama, in comments anticipating Republican criticism after demanding that the richest Americans pay higher taxes to help cut soaring U.S. deficits by more than $3 trillion.

"Veto threats, a massive tax hike, phantom savings and punting on entitlement reform is not a recipe for economic or job growth or even meaningful deficit reduction. The good news is that the Joint Committee is taking this issue far more seriously than the White House." -- Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., in a response to the president’s deficit plan.

"The speaker says we can't have it 'my way or the highway.’ And then basically says my way— or the highway. That's not smart. It's not right. "-- Obama, in remarks about his deficit plan.

"At a time when spending is out of control, giving the federal government more money would be like giving a cocaine addict more cocaine." -- House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, responding to the president’s deficit plan.

“Wonderful, wonderful news about the hikers, we are thrilled ... It's a wonderful day for them and for us." -- Obama, upon hearing the two American hikers were freed after spending 26 months in an Iranian prison.