September 28th, 2012

Gaza tunnel-traders say network at 10 percent capacity ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency September 28, 2012 - 12:00am GAZA CITY (Ma’an) -- Just 10 percent of the tunnels under Gaza's border with Sinai are still in operation, after Egypt moved to close the underground network in recent weeks, tunnel owners said Friday. The tunnel trade, which operates with oversight from the Hamas government in Gaza, is now placed under strict regulations, they told Ma'an. » Read more

4 Palestinian refugees killed in northern Syria, violence elsewhere ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua September 28, 2012 - 12:00am   DAMASCUS, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- A pro-government radio said four Palestinian refugees were killed Friday when armed groups fired mortar shells at the al-Nairab camp in Syria's northern province of Aleppo. Sham FM gave no further details, but also reported that loud explosion was heard Friday in the coastal city of Banyyas. It said, however, that the details surrounding the blast are still emerging. » Read more

Israeli troops wound 2 Palestinians in northern Gaza: medics ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua September 28, 2012 - 12:00am GAZA, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- Israeli troops stationed on the borderline between northern Gaza Strip and Israel on Friday opened fire and wounded two Palestinian civilians, medics said. Ashraf al-Qedra, spokesman of the Hamas-run ministry of health, said that the two Palestinians are aged 22 and 19 years old, respectively, adding that they are brothers and were shot by Israeli soldiers' gunfire in northern Gaza Strip. » Read more

Iran claims right to retaliate, after Israel UN speech ATFP World Press Roundup Article from BBC News by Jonathan Marcus - September 28, 2012 - 12:00am Mr Netanyahu showed a drawing illustrating Iran's alleged progress towards nuclear weapons Iran has warned it is ready to retaliate against attack after Israel's prime minister urged a red line to be drawn to stop its nuclear programme. Benjamin Netanyahu told the UN time was running out to stop Iran having enough enriched uranium for a nuclear bomb. In response, Iran's deputy UN ambassador said his country was strong enough to defend itself. » Read more

Israelis see no Iran war this year after Netanyahu's speech ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters by Dan Williams - September 28, 2012 - 12:00am JERUSALEM, Sept 28 (Reuters) - Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's U.N. speech about Iranian nuclear advances has dampened speculation in Israel that he could order a war this year. Analysing Thursday's address in which Netanyahu literally drew a "red line" on a cartoon bomb to show how close Iran was to building nuclear weaponry, commentators saw his deadline for any military action falling in early or mid-2013, well after U.S. elections in November and a possible snap Israeli poll. » Read more

Hamas says Abbas' call for UN recognition of non-member state "solo " ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua September 28, 2012 - 12:00am GAZA, Sept. 27 (Xinhua) -- Islamic Hamas movement, which rules the Gaza Strip, said Thursday Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' bid to the United Nations for a non-member Palestinian state is "a solo action." Sami Abu Zuhri, Hamas spokesman in Gaza, said in a press statement emailed to reporters that Abbas' move to ask for the UN recognition of a Palestinian state "wasn't agreed upon or consulted by the entire Palestinians." » Read more

Politicians deride PM's UN speech ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Moran Azulay - September 28, 2012 - 12:00am   Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's UN General Assembly address, during which he busted out a red marker and an illustration of a bomb to demonstrate Iran's worrisome nuclear progress, drew varied responses from his fellow politicians. » Read more

Palestinians shrug off Abbas bid for statehood at UN ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters by Jihan Abdalla, Noah Browning - September 28, 2012 - 12:00am RAMALLAH (Reuters) -- Palestinians who were galvanized a year ago by the launch of a campaign for statehood in the United Nations were left cold on Thursday by a watered-down bid from their leader President Mahmoud Abbas. In a speech to the UN General Assembly, Abbas sought so-called "non-member state" status in the world body, a grade below the full recognition that eluded the Palestinians at the UN Security Council last year, due to insufficient backing. » Read more

Abbas says to seek upgrade of Palestinian UN status ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters by Louis Charbonneau - September 27, 2012 - 12:00am UNITED NATIONS, Sept 27 (Reuters) - Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said on Thursday he would seek to have the Palestinians' U.N. status upgraded to a sovereign country and cautioned that Israeli settlement expansion meant time was running out for a two-state solution. "Despite all the complexities of the prevailing reality and all the frustrations that abound, we say before the international community there is still a chance - maybe the last - to save the two-state solution and to salvage peace," Abbas told the U.N. General Assembly. » Read more

Mideast Peace Mired as Abbas Trades Taunts With Netanyahu ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Bloomberg by Nicole Gaouette, Flavia Krause-Jackson - September 27, 2012 - 12:00am Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu exchanged taunts at the United Nations as the world body watched a peace process that has all but slipped away. » Read more