Israel has threatened to take “unilateral” action over a Palestinian bid to join 15 UN agencies, including the Geneva Conventions.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas made the announcement, which prompted scorn from U.S. and Israeli officials, last week.

“The Palestinians’ threats to appeal to the UN will not affect us,” stated Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. “The Palestinians have much to lose by this unilateral move. They will achieve a state only by direct negotiations, not by empty statements and not by unilateral moves.”