Abbas heads to NY ahead of UN statehood bid ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Khaled Abu Toameh - November 26, 2012 - 1:00am Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas is set to head to New York on Monday to seek the UN’s approval for upgrading the PA’s status to non-member observer. » Read more

Official: Party conference in 2013 to reboot Fatah ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency November 26, 2012 - 1:00am BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) -- President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah party will hold a general conference in the first half of 2013 in order to revitalize the movement, a senior official said Sunday. Fatah is reeling from Israel's eight-day war on Gaza, which was seen locally as victory for Hamas and other factions using armed resistance in Gaza. » Read more

UK calls for US focus on two-state solution ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency November 26, 2012 - 1:00am LONDON (Reuters) -- British Foreign Secretary William Hague on Sunday urged the United States to take a more active role in seeking a lasting settlement between Israelis and Palestinians, warning of a "final chance" for a two-state solution. » Read more

Palestinians in Syria forced to pick sides ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Washington Post by Babak Dehghanpisheh - November 25, 2012 - 1:00am BEIRUT — For decades, the Palestinians who fled to Syria after the Arab-Israeli wars were seen as loyal supporters of the ruling Assad family, which provided a safe and stable haven to them and their representatives. » Read more

Hamas leader sets date for debut visit to Gaza ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Avi Issacharoff - November 25, 2012 - 1:00am Hamas political bureau chief Khaled Meshal will visit the Gaza Strip for the first time on December 5, Palestinian officials said Sunday. Meshal's planned visit was announced a month ago, before a final date had been set. Meshal lives in exile in Damascus. » Read more

Hamas chief voices support for Palestinian UN bid ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua November 26, 2012 - 1:00am RAMALLAH, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- Hamas chief Khaled Mashaal said Monday that he supports Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in his upcoming bid for an upgraded Palestinian status in the United Nations. » Read more

Israel says successfully tested new missile defense system ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua November 26, 2012 - 1:00am JERUSALEM, Nov. 25 (Xinhua) -- Israel has successfully tested a new missilbe defense system, which can intercept targets with a longer range than those downed by Iron Dome in the recent Israel- Gaza conflict, the Defense Ministry said Sunday. » Read more

Hezbollah says could hit all of Israel in future war ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters by Dominic Evans - November 25, 2012 - 1:00am BEIRUT, Nov 25 (Reuters) - Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah warned Israel on Sunday that thousands of rockets would rain down on Tel Aviv and cities across the Jewish state if it attacked Lebanon. » Read more

Gaza losses total 300 mln USD after Israeli airstrikes: report ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua November 24, 2012 - 1:00am GAZA, Nov. 24 (Xinhua) -- The Gaza Strip must be declared an economically-disastrous area, Palestinian Chamber of Commerce said Saturday. In a report assessing the damage following an eight-day Israeli air raids, the study said that the economic losses in Gaza reached 300 million U.S. dollars. » Read more

Gaza cease-fire raises hopes for reconstruction ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press by Sarah El Deeb - November 25, 2012 - 1:00am GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — Mohammed Falah Azzam has been through this before. » Read more