September 20th

Face-off at the U.N. ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Los Angeles Times (Editorial) September 20, 2011 - 12:00am The looming United Nations vote on Palestinian statehood is not a cause for celebration — for Palestinians or anyone else. It is merely further evidence of the utter stalemate of the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, which once promised to deliver a two-state solution but which during the last few years has deteriorated into a depressing morass. » Read more

Al-Wazir: PA could collapse if US withdraws aid ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency by Daniel Bases - (Analysis) September 20, 2011 - 12:00am NEW YORK (Reuters) -- A formal call for Palestinian statehood at the United Nations this week could bring severe financial strains, even a potential collapse of the Palestinian Authority, the territories' top banker told Reuters on Monday. The United States, a major source of financing and aid for the Palestinian Authority, opposes a unilateral call for statehood. Washington has warned of repercussions if President Mahmoud Abbas calls for statehood on Friday, when he is scheduled to address the UN General Assembly. » Read more

Abbas meets UN chief Ban Ki-moon; Netanyahu calls on PA to renew talks ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Avi Issacharoff, Natasha Mozgovaya, Barak Ravid - (Analysis) September 20, 2011 - 12:00am Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas told UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Monday that he was determined to ask the Security Council to accept Palestine as a full UN member. Abbas said he would in fact be seeking full recognition for a Palestinian state and would initiate this on Friday after his speech to the UN General Assembly. The United States and Israel claim this move could lead to a disaster. » Read more

Diplomats Scramble as Palestinians Plan to Apply for U.N. Membership on Friday ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times by Neil MacFarquhar, Steven Lee Myers - (Analysis) September 19, 2011 - 12:00am UNITED NATIONS — The Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, said Monday that he would present an application for Palestine to join the United Nations immediately after he addresses the General Assembly on Friday, as diplomats worked frenetically to try to limit the fallout from the application. Mr. Abbas told Ban Ki-Moon, the United Nations secretary general, that he was determined to move forward. “I think it has dawned on everybody that they cannot convince us not to go,” said Hanan Ashrawi, a member of the Palestinian delegation. “Most people are discussing what is next.” » Read more

September 19th

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