Mahmoud Abbas, the president of the Palestinian Authority and chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organisation, will be handing in the PLO's bid for full membership of the United Nations.

On Friday, Abbas is due to put his case to his people in a major speech in Ramallah.

The United States, however, wants Abbas - who is acting in his capacity as chairman of the PLO and not as PA president - to drop the bid.

Al Jazeera's Mike Hanna reports from the occupied West Bank.