Former president Jimmy Carter has called on Barack Obama to recognise Palestinian statehood before he leaves office.

Mr Carter, who has been outspoken about Palestinian rights and has urged a two-state solution between Israelis and Palestinians, said Palestine should achieve full United Nations membership.

In an article published in The New York Times, the former president wrote: "I am convinced that the United States can still shape the future of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict before a change in presidents, but time is very short."

He added: "The simple but vital step this administration must take before its term expires on Jan. 20 is to grant American diplomatic recognition to the state of Palestine."

The Israeli–Palestinian conflict intensifies Show all 10 1 /10 The Israeli–Palestinian conflict intensifies The Israeli–Palestinian conflict intensifies Medics evacuate a wounded man from the scene of an attack in Jerusalem. A Palestinian rammed a vehicle into a bus stop then got out and started stabbing people before he was shot dead AP The Israeli–Palestinian conflict intensifies Israeli ZAKA emergency response members carry the body of an Israeli at the scene of a shooting attack in Jerusalem. A pair of Palestinian men boarded a bus in Jerusalem and began shooting and stabbing passengers, while another assailant rammed a car into a bus station before stabbing bystanders, in near-simultaneous attacks that escalated a month long wave of violence AP The Israeli–Palestinian conflict intensifies Youths attend the funeral of Ahmad Sharake who was shot during clashes with Israeli forces in Jelazun refugee camp, near Ramallah, West Bank. Tensions in the area continue to run high following a series of stabbing attacks that have occurred around Israel in clashes between Palestinian youths and Israeli security forces Getty Images The Israeli–Palestinian conflict intensifies Palestinians throw molotov cocktail during clashes with Israeli troops near Ramallah, West Bank. Recent days have seen a series of stabbing attacks in Israel and the West Bank that have wounded several Israelis AP The Israeli–Palestinian conflict intensifies Women cry during the funeral of Palestinian teenager Ahmad Sharaka, 13, who was shot dead by Israeli forces during clashes at a checkpoint near Ramallah, at the family house in the Palestinian West Bank refugee camp of Jalazoun, Ramallah AP The Israeli–Palestinian conflict intensifies A wounded Palestinian boy and his father hold hands at a hospital after their house was brought down by an Israeli air strike in Gaza Reuters The Israeli–Palestinian conflict intensifies Palestinians look on after a protester is shot by Israelis soldiers during clashes at the Howara checkpoint near the West Bank city of Nablus EPA The Israeli–Palestinian conflict intensifies A lawyer wearing his official robes kicks a tear gas canister back toward Israeli soldiers during a demonstration by scores of Palestinian lawyers called for by the Palestinian Bar Association in solidarity with protesters at the Al-Aqsa mosque compound in Jerusalem's Old City, near Ramallah, West Bank AP The Israeli–Palestinian conflict intensifies Undercover Israeli soldiers detain a Palestinian in Ramallah Reuters The Israeli–Palestinian conflict intensifies Palestinian youth burn tyres during clashes with Israeli soldiers close to the Jewish settlement of Bet El, in the West Bank city of Ramallah, after Israel barred Palestinians from Jerusalem's Old City as tensions mounted following attacks that killed two Israelis and wounded a child

Mr Carter also said the UN Security council should pass a resolution "laying out the parameters for resolving the conflict".

Such a resolution, he wrote, should "reaffirm the illegality of all Israeli settlements beyond the 1967 borders," with further measures including the demilitarisation of the Palestinian state and a possible UN peacekeeping force.

He also criticised the building of Israeli settlements on Palestinian land.

"Israel is building more and more settlements, displacing Palestinians and entrenching its occupation of Palestinian lands," he wrote. "Over 4.5 million Palestinians live in these occupied territories, but are not citizens of Israel.

"Most live largely under Israeli military rule, and do not vote in Israel’s national elections."

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Mr Obama has been critical of Israel, telling the nation it cannot permanently occupy and settle on Palestinian land.

In a speech to the United Nations, the US president said both sides would benefit if Israel recognised it cannot permanently occupy the land and if Palestinians rejected incitement and recognised Israel's legitimacy.

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However, while President-elect Trump said he would continue with the current US policy on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, an advisor said he was "sceptical" of the efficacy of a two-state solution in October.

An Israeli government minister said his victory meant "the era of a Palestinian state is over".