What does Israel say?

Israel says granting a State of Palestine full membership rewards "terrorists."

"Who is the council voting to 'recognize' and give full membership status to? Hamas in Gaza?," Gilad Erdan, Israel's ambassador to the U.N., said. Such a move, he added in remarks to the Security Council, would harm any chance for future dialogue."

Erdan also said the Palestinians do not meet four basic criteria for U.N. membership: a permanent population, defined territory, a government and the capacity to sustain relations with other countries.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and members of his government adamantly oppose the creation of a Palestinian state.

What is the U.S. game plan?

For days, U.S. officials said they had hoped to avoid having to veto the petition and worked to delay a vote as long as possible. But that gambit appeared to be failing. Washington is often left standing almost alone in shooting down any proposals seen as critical of Israel and favoring the Palestinians.

A rare exception came last month when the U.S. abstained to allow passage of a U.N. resolution demanding a cease-fire in Gaza that Israel opposed.

Weren't Palestinians already given U.N. membership?

Not full membership.

In 2012, Palestine was granted permanent observer status at the U.N., which allows it to participate in proceedings but not vote.

Its flag flies with the flags of other nations outside the main U.N. building but at a slight distance from the others.

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