Abbas at the UN

Under President Mahmood Abbas, the Palestinian Authority is pushing forward with plans to try winning recognition as a state from the United Nations:

Palestinian officials say Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas is moving forward with his plan to seek upgraded observer status at the United Nations next month, despite American and Israeli threats of financial or diplomatic retaliation.

One official said Abbas is expected to ask the UN General Assembly to approve a Palestinian request for 'nonmember state' status on November 15 or November 29. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because no formal decision has been made...

However, senior Foreign Ministry officials and Israeli diplomats abroad have been warning of a scenario in which Israel's government 'goes crazy' the day after the UN vote. And far from being insulted, politicians are encouraging this campaign.

Let us all remember here that in 2010 President Obama offered the full diplomatic weight of the United States in support of Israeli efforts to block this initiative from moving forward.  I'm dubious that the two-state solution remains viable, but if it does, this is the only track underway for achieving it.