Soon, the United Nations will vote on whether or not Israel should withdraw from the West Bank and East Jerusalem, territories which are currently under Israeli military occupation.
The Palestinian National Authority, controlled by Fatah since 2013 (and calling itself the State of Palestine since the UN voted to recognise it as a non-member observer state in 2012) has been pushing for a draft vote which would require further recognition of a Palestinian state along the 1967 lines, and for a two-year deadline for the withdrawal of Israeli occupiers.
Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has naturally opposed this idea, saying that Israel won't accept demands to dictate unilateral moves. He told reporters yesterday that the Palestinian Authority's attempts "would harm Israel's security and won't bring about peace".
What the Israeli government appears to be the most upset about, however, is the proposal by the Palestinian Authority to have this vote on Wednesday - only two days after US Secretary of State, John Kerry, met with Netanyahu to discuss the advancement of the peace process in the region.
The US is facing tremendous pressure from its European allies to support the Palestinian motion. Historically, the American government, heavily influenced by the pro-Israel lobby, AIPAC, has been ready at a moment's notice to support Israel on almost every issue.
But the US government wants to be seen to be as committed to its allies in Europe than it is to its Israeli ally in the Middle East, particularly in the wake of the recent economic crisis and turbulent relations with Russia. The fact that France, Germany and Britain are already drafting Palestine's resolution, and countries like Sweden, Portugal and Ireland have already officially recognised the state of Palestine, puts the US in a tight spot in diplomatic terms.
Israel would like the US to veto any Security Council action, and needs it to use its diplomatic power within the UN to stop European efforts to pass the vote in favour of the Palestinian motion.
As yet, US officials have told news reporters accompanying John Kerry that the US government, has not yet decided whether they will keep Israel happy and veto the French-led initiative, or if they will support the motion and thus keep to their vow of eventually establishing a Palestinian State.
