Anyone who read about the Israeli elections in the UK media in the past week will have been told that Israel was set to choose its most right-wing government ever, and that the star was a young, right-wing nationalist named Naftali Bennett. Oops.

Reports in the press suggest the UK government is preparing to recognise Palestine as a state in its own right. Foreign secretary William Hague is...

In all likelihood on Thursday afternoon the UN General Assembly will agree to the request of Palestinian Authority president Mahmoud Abbas to change the status of Palestine at the UN from observer entity to non-member state. Aside from the Palestinians having to print a new set of headed note paper, what will this achieve? Unfortunately, for ordinary Palestinians, the answer is very little.

What this conflict lacks is a politician on either side (or both) who can see that violence serves only to perpetuate more violence. The massive wall across the length of Israel's border did stop the suicide bombings, but unless the Israelis can build it 30,000 feet high it's not going to stop the shells landing in Ashkelon. (If there are any Israeli Ministers reading this by the way, that's a joke, please don't try it.)

Netanyahu will hope his speech further galvanises the already considerable international efforts to pressure Iran through sanctions and diplomacy to stop enrichment, at least to the 20% level. Netanyahu knows that the international community is keen to prevent Iran getting a bomb, but also to prevent Israel from resorting to military action.

This is my new video for Amnesty TV - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declares peace with the Palestinians.