The Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu will address the UN General Assembly tomorrow where he is expected to spell out Israel's response to growing recognition of a Palestinian state.
While his government has hinted it could annex the West Bank, he has just linked a widely condemned settlement plan to the denial of any future Palestinian state.
Europe Editor Tony Connelly and cameraman Bram Verbeke report from the illegal settlement of Ma'ale Adumim on what is at stake.
Two weeks ago, the Israeli prime minister announced the massive expansion of an Israeli settlement. But this was not just any expansion or any settlement: the plan poses a much graver threat to the two-state solution.
"We said there wouldn't be a Palestinian state and we say again there won't be a Palestinian state. This place is ours. We will take care of our country, our security and our heritage," said Mr Netanyahu.
A future Palestinian state is supposed to comprise most of the West Bank. It’s capital, say Palestinians, should be East Jerusalem.
However, long-standing Palestinian communities have been steadily disrupted by illegal Jewish settlements, one of the largest of which is Ma'ale Adumim.
The so-called E1 project would expand the settlement westward, essentially cutting off East Jerusalem from the West Bank, and, critics say, driving a wedge through the heart of a future Palestinian state.
It also poses an immediate threat to Palestinian communities now in the firing line, and would prevent any prospect of East Jerusalem expanding.
One Bedouin farmer was warned he had 60 days to vacate his property or it would be demolished, and he would have to foot the bill.
"It will kill the dream of a Palestinian state, taking a lot of land from Jerusalem, and in particular it will separate the south from the north of the West Bank. It will destroy Bedouin life in the area," said Attalah Jahlein.
In stark contrast to the hemmed in and impoverished Palestinian communities, Ma'ale Adumim itself is pristine and affluent, studded with palm trees and boasting its own shopping centre.
Established in the mid 70s, the settlement is now 50,000 strong, and according to its residents, must have room to grow.
The project has been in the pipeline for decades, blocked by successive US administrations. A defiant Israeli government now wants to press ahead.
The project would run all the way from East Jerusalem to Ma'ale Adumim - 12 sq/km of Palestinian hills, valleys, pastoral land and homes, all to be confiscated.
Mr Netanyahu has vowed there can never be a Palestinian state - critics say this would be one way to achieve that.
This week Palestinians caught the tantalising glimpse of a future state, but as frustration deepens, it remains an elusive dream.
We need your consent to load this rte-player contentWe use rte-player to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content.Manage Preferences
