A UN victory could be costly for Palestinians ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Douglas Bloomfield - (Opinion) October 17, 2012 - 12:00am Can the Palestinians afford the UN recognition they seek? That is the question their leadership must ask itself as it presses for a vote next month on its application to upgrade its status from observer to non-member state. The issue is being couched by Palestinian Authority chairman Mahmoud Abbas in terms of prestige and improved bargaining position for possible peace talks with Israel, but that conflicts with reality. The Palestinians already have diplomatic recognition by some 120 countries and that has put them no closer to statehood. » Read more

Hebron's Independent Women, Part I ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Daily Beast by Simran Sachdev - (Editorial) October 17, 2012 - 12:00am This Saturday, the West Bank city of Hebron will hold its first municipal elections in over three and a half decades. While this is critical for Hebron’s people, what makes these elections remarkable is the first all-women list to ever run in Palestinian politics. » Read more

Neither "Best Friend" Nor "Anti-Israel" ATFP World Press Roundup Article from ACCESS by Gil Troy - (Opinion) October 17, 2012 - 12:00am Washington Post editorial on October 16 matter of factly stated the obvious: that President Barack Obama “sought to publicly distance himself from Israel early in his term” and that Obama and Benjamin Netanyahu “have made a mess of their personal relationship.” Both of these statements are quite obvious even to many casual observers of the Middle East. » Read more

What is EU doing for peace in Palestine? ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Gulf News by Stuart Reigeluth - (Opinion) October 18, 2012 - 12:00am Despite the current crises within different member states of the European Union, the creation of such a supra-national body to encourage trade, social cohesion, and political unity is without a doubt an incredible achievement. Regardless of the pros and cons of creating a homogenous proto-European and the heavy bureaucratic structure of the overpaid institutions that are each day more and more distant from the majority of citizens who are outside the Brussels bubble, the EU has successfully created a peaceful ambiance to avoid the devastations of war. » Read more

If Netanyahu wins ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jordan Times by Michael Jansen - (Opinion) October 17, 2012 - 12:00am On Monday, the Israeli Knesset did Benjamin Netanyahu’s bidding by dissolving itself and going for an election on January 22. Netanyahu decided to opt for an early election because his right-wing government could not agree on an austerity budget and his Likud bloc is certain to win in 2013 with an increased majority. » Read more

For Ehud Olmert, it's now or never ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Yossi Verter - (Analysis) October 12, 2012 - 12:00am A day after announcing an early election, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu got into his armored car and made the short trip from his office to the official residence of President Shimon Peres. Veteran Government Press Office photographer Moshe Milner took their picture sitting side by side and having a cozy chat. Yet just two months ago, Netanyahu had his confidants rebuke Peres for daring to make public his opposition to the idea of an Israeli strike on Iran's nuclear facilities before the U.S. presidential election and without coordination with Washington. » Read more

Israel’s upcoming elections: No hope we can believe in ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Carlo Strenger - (Opinion) October 17, 2012 - 12:00am Israel’s next elections will take place in a bit more than three months, and there have been some interesting developments. Aryeh Deri’s return to the helm of Shas might turn this party from an appendix to the anti-democratic right-wing policies of the current coalition into a more productive contributor to urgently needed social policies. » Read more

Israeli center-left can't challenge Netanyahu ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua by Adam Gonn - (Opinion) October 18, 2012 - 12:00am JERUSALEM, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- A possible comeback by former prime minister Ehud Olmert has hit a snag as the State Prosecutor' s Office on Tuesday announced that it will appeal Olmert's acquittal in a recent corruption case. » Read more

Divided Palestinians hold municipal elections without Hamas ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters by Jihan Abdalla - October 18, 2012 - 12:00am RAMALLAH, Oct 18 (Reuters) - Palestinians in the West Bank go to the polls on Saturday in long-delayed municipal elections that have already highlighted deep divisions in the occupied territory and stoked complaints about a lack of leadership. The Oct. 20 ballot will hold up a cracked mirror to a political landscape clouded by financial crises, failure to reconcile the major Palestinian factions and stalemate in peacemaking efforts with Israel. » Read more

'A-G Weinstein opposes adoption of Levy Report' ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Tovah Lazaroff - October 18, 2012 - 12:00am Attorney-General Yehuda Weinstein opposes Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's supposed intention to seek government approval for the "Levy Report," which calls on the government to transform West Bank outposts on state land into legal settlements, Israel Radio reported Thursday. The Prime Minister’s Office said that they did not know of any formal decision to bring the report to either the Ministerial Settlements Committee or the cabinet, after rumors that Netanyahu intended to do so next week sparked condemnation from the Left on Wednesday. » Read more