The Palestinian Authority wants the United Nations Security Council to vote this month to make it a full member of the world body, the Palestinian UN envoy has told Reuters, a move that can be blocked by Israel’s ally the United States.

Riyad Mansour, who has permanent observer status in the UN, made the Palestinian plans public as the fighting between Israel and Hamas nears a six-month milestone in Gaza and Israel is expanding settlements in the occupied West Bank.

Mansour told Reuters that the aim was for the Security Council to take a decision at an April 18 ministerial meeting on the Middle East, but that a vote had yet to be scheduled. He said a 2011 Palestinian application for full membership was still pending because the 15-member council never took a formal decision.

“The intention is to put the application to a vote in the Security Council this month,” he added.