Belgium this week became the latest European country to announce it will recognize a state of Palestine at the upcoming UN General Assembly meeting in New York later this month. Norway, Ireland and Spain have recently done so, while France, Britain, and also Canada have lately declared their intent to formally do so at the summit.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is apparently mulling major 'payback' on an international stage, as several Israeli media reports say he will gather top ministers for a discussion on the implications of international recognition of a Palestinian state on Thursday. He is reportedly mulling extending Israeli sovereignty over at least some of the West Bank.

Times of Israel is among those outlets framing this as retribution for the growing movement to recognize Palestine. "The small forum will also examine a range of possible responses to the expected wave of Western recognition at the UN later this month, including applying sovereignty over parts of the West Bank," the Tuesday report says.

"Netanyahu will be joined by Defense Minister Israel Katz, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, Justice Minister Yariv Levin, National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich," adds the report.

And Jerusalem Post separately reports that "Several Israeli officials previously reported that Israel is considering annexation in the West Bank as a possible response to France and other countries recognizing a Palestinian state."

This could include recognition over all places where there are currently Jewish settlements, or areas like the Jordan Valley - which has long been sought by Israeli hardline nationalists.

Given past policies of the Trump administration, there's a likelihood that the White House would go along with this - despite that it would contradict long-standing Washington policy. Probably President Trump would feign reluctance or anguish over such a move, but would in reality be accepting of it.

The US surely knows this is an 'option' being intensely considered by the Netanyahu government.

Local reports have hinted at this too: "Walla reported on Sunday that Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio discussed the topic of West Bank sovereignty during his visit to Washington last week," JPost writes.

As for the international move to recognize a state of Palestine - this is purely symbolic and in reality completely unenforceable on the ground, no matter which Western government backs it. Even some Progressive commentators have pointed out it does nothing to improve the plight of Palestinians, and that other specific pressing issues must be dealt with first.

Already, Israeli authorities, through a system of roadblocks, checkpoints, and land seizures - have effectively chopped up the West Bank and made it almost impossible to function as a unified entity, even economically. This issue would have to be addressed and reversed first on a practical level. While Western nations are offering symbolic 'recognition' - an Israeli move to annex the West Bank would not be symbolic, but it would be brutal, real, and probably swift.