Egypt sponsored a UN Security Council resolution on Dec. 18 rejecting the proclamation made by President Donald Trump on Dec. 6 recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. The United States vetoed the measure. As a result, the Palestinians are now preparing for a full-scale diplomatic offensive. On Dec. 21, a similar vote will be brought before the UN General Assembly, where the United States has no veto power. More than 100 of the United Nations' 193 member states are likely to support the resolution, to be submitted by Turkey and Yemen.

The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs has instructed Israeli representatives in the world's capitals to reduce the potential damage to Israel's image by waging a public diplomacy campaign against the upcoming resolution and by recruiting nations other than the United States to oppose it. Meanwhile, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas feels humiliated and hurt by Trump's decision.

Abbas has instructed senior Palestinian officials, as well as the Palestinian ambassador in Washington, Husam Zomlot, and his ambassador to the United Nations, Riyad Mansour, to act boldly and use every means at their disposal to ensure that the UN resolution passes. They are to do this even if the consequences include the closing of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) mission in Washington, which Secretary of State Rex Tillerson threatened to do a month ago, or expedited congressional passage of the Taylor Force Act, which would dramatically cut American aid to the Palestinian Authority (PA) because of its support for the families of imprisoned Palestinians convicted of terrorism.