Two very different ideas were presented with Abbas arguing that after 18 years of negotiations the time has come for the Palestinians to become full members of the UN as an independent nation.

Netanyahu, on the other hand repeated his and the US standpoint that independence can come only after negotiated agreement between the two parties.

Abbas met with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to officially request that the status of the Palestine representatives at the UN be upgraded from observer entity to full member nation.

However, in order to achieve full membership, the Palestinians need the backing of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) where the United States holds veto power, a tool US President Barack Obama has announced would be used.

No date has been set for when a vote might take place in the UNSC, and meanwhile the Mideast Quartet (comprised of the UN, the US, the European Union and Russia) have presented a new plan for the resumption of negotiations with the aim of reaching an agreement by the end of 2012.