This autumn the Palestinian leadership intends to apply for Palestine to be accepted as a full member of the United Nations and recognized as an independent state. This move has the approval of all relevant PLO bodies and the support of the Arab League. It can also rely on the support of the greatest part of the international community. However, the Palestinians can be sure to face a US veto in the Security Council. To date, how exactly PLO Chairman Mahmoud Abbas will proceed, remains unclear. What is clear, however, it that without active mediation by the international community, there is little hope of resolving the conflict. EU member states should therefore unite in recognizing the Palestinian state and grasp the opportunity to anchor parameters for conflict settlement based on a two-state approach in the respective UN resolutions.