Jordan's King Abdullah will make a rare visit to the West Bank Monday to meet Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah for talks on the latest political developments in the region.

Jordanian officials said the visit comes “in the context of Jordan's support for the Palestinian Authority and the Palestinian people to achieve creation of an independent Palestinian state.”

King Abdullah's trip is taking place at a time when the Palestinians are trying to secure United Nations membership. However, the Security Council has failed to reach consensus among its 15 members on the Palestinian application.

The Palestinians have several options. They can ask a U.N. Security Council member state to call for a vote in the council. However, if they win the votes required for approval, the U.S. says it will veto the move.

The Palestinians can also petition the U.N. General Assembly to upgrade their status, which would expand their ability to participate in U.N. activities.

The Palestinians launched their U.N. membership bid in September hoping that inclusion in the world body would boost their efforts to gain international recognition as an independent state.

The move took place more than a year after peace talks with Israel stalled. The talks broke down after an Israeli moratorium on West Bank settlement construction expired. The Palestinians oppose building on land they want as part of a future state.