Palestinian Options at U.N. Lead to Legal Threat to Israel's Military ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Wall Street Journal by Joe Lauria - (Analysis) September 17, 2011 - 12:00am UNITED NATIONS—If the Palestinian Authority succeeds in winning even an incremental upgrade of its status at the U.N, it could subject Israel's military to international courts for actions in Palestinian territory—as well as allow Palestinian control of its Israeli-patrolled air space and national waters off Gaza. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas said Friday he would seek full U.N. membership through the Security Council. If the U.S. vetoes that effort, as it has vowed to do, the Palestinians have a second option for membership: go to the General Assembly. » Read more

Building Boomlet in Jewish West Bank Brings Joy to None ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Media Line by Felice Friedson, Arieh O'Sullivan - (Analysis) September 18, 2011 - 12:00am Meir Rubinstein pulls out a directive from Israel’s Defense Ministry that brought to a halt of construction of 210 apartments last year. The mayor of Beitar Illit, the most populous Jewish community in land acquired by Israel in the 1967 Six Day War, Rubinstein says he needs to build at least 1,000 units a year just to keep up with demand. “There was a freeze for the past five or six years. Twice there was an approval for 300 units so instead of 6,000 apartments – every year we need 1,000 flats – we got just 600, just 10%,” Rubinstein told The Media Line. » Read more

Prosor: Security Council vote on PA state bid unclear ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Herb Keinon - (Analysis) September 19, 2011 - 12:00am Israeli envoy to UN says Portugal undecided on resolution vote, key to US efforts to vote down bid without using veto. Israeli ambassador to the United Nations Ron Prosor on Monday said that it was still unclear if the UN Security Council would vote to recognize a Palestinian state because Portugal remained undecided on the issue. » Read more

U.S. to Netanyahu: Don't sanction Palestinians following statehood bid at UN ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Barak Ravid - (Analysis) September 19, 2011 - 12:00am The United States and several European countries have been urging Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu not to take drastic punitive measures against the Palestinians after they ask the United Nations to recognize their state. Netanyahu, who is under heavy pressure from Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz and Deputy Prime Minister Moshe Ya'alon to respond strongly to the Palestinian Authority, has decided at this point to wait until the significance of the Palestinian move becomes clearer to commit to any course of action. » Read more

Palestinians build state, but restricted by Israel ATFP World Press Roundup Article from (Analysis) September 18, 2011 - 12:00am HEBRON, WEST BANK — The Palestinians will be able to make a strong case that they have built the foundations of a nation when they ask the U.N. this week to recognize an independent Palestine in the West Bank, Gaza and east Jerusalem, the lands Israel occupied in 1967. » Read more

High-stakes diplomacy to avoid UN showdown ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency (Analysis) September 19, 2011 - 12:00am UNITED NATIONS (AFP) -- Top Palestinian and Israeli leaders held talks in New York amid frantic diplomatic efforts to avoid a showdown over a Palestinian bid to seek full UN membership as a state. Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Salam Fayyad and Israel's Defense Minister Ehud Barak held an unannounced meeting a day ahead of the UN General Assembly, which is being dominated by a Palestinian bid for UN recognition that the United States has threatened to veto. » Read more

WEST BANK: U.S. envoys' paper emboldens Abbas to go before U.N. ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Los Angeles Times by Maher Abukhater - (Analysis) September 17, 2011 - 12:00am A paper special U.S. peace envoys David Hale and Dennis Ross presented to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on Thursday that was supposed to sway him away from going to the United Nations was what caused Abbas to take a final stand in favor of going, according to Nabil Shaath, a member of Abbas’ Fatah Central Committee. Abbas told the Palestinian people on Friday that he is going to the Security Council to ask for membership in spite of strong U.S. objections and attempts to have him change his mind. » Read more

U.N. Palestine vote: Time to exhale ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Politico by Ambassador Wendy Chamberlin - (Opinion) September 19, 2011 - 12:00am Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas early this week will likely fulfill his longstanding vow to introduce in the U.N. Security Council a resolution to recognize Palestine as the 194th member state. No one should be the least bit surprised. » Read more

Cowards and liars ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Daily Star (Editorial) September 19, 2011 - 12:00am The bid for Palestinian statehood, due to be presented this week at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, seems to have taken some world leaders by surprise. It is difficult to see how. For more than a decade, successive United States presidents have voiced their keenness on a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestinian conflict. Bill Clinton, then George W. Bush, then finally Barack Obama have taken turns delaying a formal application for statehood under the guise of wanting to gain more favorable conditions through a continuation of peace talks. » Read more

Palestine at the United Nations: Sidestepped by both Friends and the World's Major Players ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Dar Al-Hayat by Raghida Dergham - (Opinion) September 16, 2011 - 12:00am No party is in an enviable position in the current battle over the Palestinian state at the United Nations. Everyone is embarrassed, and some even find themselves caught up in a costly dilemma. » Read more