Yachad, the alternative Israel campaign group, has come out in favour of United Nations recognition of Palestinian statehood.

Hannah Weisfeld, director of the organisation which launched in the UK earlier this year, said that it would prefer recognition of a Palestinian state to be "the end product of a negotiated settlement, rather than its starting point".

But she went on: "Given the stalemate in the current peace-process, and acknowledging the political reality within the General Assembly, we believe it represents an historic opportunity to advance and expedite the peace process, which will guarantee Israel's survival as a Jewish and democratic state.

"To be recognised as a state will require the Palestinian leadership to take on the obligations of behaving like a state. This is clearly in Israel's long-term interest.

"Now is the moment for European governments to boldly stand up, and with imaginative and creative thinking, help drive forward a resolution to the conflict."

The Board of Deputies has lobbied against British support for any unilateral Palestinian independence bid.