After years of fruitless negotiations, in 2012, the Palestinian government decided to expand diplomatic efforts at the UN in favor of recognition as an independent state. The first step was Palestine becoming a member of UNESCO in October 2012 and in the same year obtaining non-member observer state status at the 44th plenary session of the UN General Assembly. Since then efforts have intensified to achieve recognition of the State of Palestine. On Tuesday, US Secretary of State John Kerry met with chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat in an effort to dissuade the Palestinians from introducing a U.N. Security Council resolution that would set a deadline for Israel's withdrawal from Palestinian territories. Noor Harazeen reports from Gaza. teleSUR