November 13th

Israeli FM meets ambassadors over Palestinian UN bid ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua November 12, 2012 - 1:00am JERUSALEM, Nov. 11 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman met Sunday with Israeli ambassadors to the European Union regarding Israel's response to the Palestinians' bid for upgrading their status at the United Nations. The Palestinian National Authority (PNA) is expected to submit its application for upgrading their status at the United Nations later this month. » Read more

Abbas tells Obama he'll seek Palestinian UN upgrade, defying U.S. ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters by Noah Browning, Matt Spetalnick - November 12, 2012 - 1:00am RAMALLAH, West Bank/WASHINGTON, Nov 11 (Reuters) - P alestinian President Mahmoud Abbas told President Barack Obama on Sunday he was intent on pressing ahead with a Palestinian bid for United Nations recognition as a non-member state, despite the U.S. leader's objections. Abbas explained his decision to Obama in a phone conversation, according to Abbas aide Nabil Abu Rdaineh. Continued defiance of Washington on such a sensitive issue casts further doubt on the chances for any renewed U.S.-led Israeli-Palestinian peace drive following Obama's re-election on Tuesday. » Read more

Palestinian, US president discuss UN initiative ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press November 11, 2012 - 1:00am RAMALLAH, West Bank —A spokesman for the Palestinian president says the Palestinians will proceed with asking the U.N. General Assembly to recognize a Palestinian state, despite a personal call from President Barack Obama to abandon the bid. Nabil Abu Rdeneh said President Mahmoud Abbas had a long phone conversation with Obama on Sunday evening. He said Obama "expresses his opposition to this step," but Abbas replied he would carry on. » Read more

Palestinians Renew Push for Enhanced U.N. Status ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times by Isabel Kershner - November 9, 2012 - 1:00am JERUSALEM — A Palestinian official in the West Bank said Friday that the distribution of a draft resolution at the United Nations headquarters in New York a day earlier was the “first big step” toward a vote this month on enhancing the Palestinians’ status in the General Assembly. » Read more

Israel says to close cash tap if Palestinians seek UN statehood ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters by Ori Lewis - November 11, 2012 - 1:00am JERUSALEM (Reuters) -- Israel will stop collecting tax revenues for the Palestinian Authority and not hand over any money if President Mahmoud Abbas continues to seek observer state membership of the United Nations, Israel's finance minister said Saturday. "If the Palestinians continue to advance their unilateral move they should not expect bilateral cooperation. We will not collect their taxes for them and we will not transfer their tax revenues," Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz said. » Read more

Palestinians to present UN bid on Nov. 29: Abbas ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua November 13, 2012 - 1:00am CAIRO, Nov. 12 (Xinhua) -- The Palestinians are set to present their bid for the status of an observer state in the United Nations on Nov. 29, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said here Monday evening. Abbas made the remarks after meeting with Arab League (AL) chief Nabil al-Arabi in Cairo during an AL ministerial meeting on the Syrian crisis. » Read more

November 9th

Yes He Can Make Peace ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Daily Beast by Gershon Baskin - (Opinion) November 9, 2012 - 1:00am The Palestinians and the Israelis will not give the newly re-elected President time to breathe. In November, Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas will request that the General Assembly recognize Palestine as a non-member state with observer status. » Read more

Abu Mazen Pressured By New Hamas Alliances ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Al-Monitor by Nervana Mahmoud - (Opinion) November 9, 2012 - 1:00am   It may be subtle, it may be slow, but undoubtedly the uprisings in the Arab world — particularly in Egypt — have resulted in new dynamics on the Palestinian front. Hamas, whose members were once shunned and isolated by the Egyptian leadership under former President Hosni Mubarak, is now slowly gaining strength and support, not just from the Brotherhood in Egypt and Jordan, but also from Turkey and Qatar. » Read more

Israeli affront to Obama ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Arab News (Editorial) November 9, 2012 - 1:00am JUST in case he had any illusions that the Israeli government has any interest whatsoever in supporting a new Palestinian peace initiative, on the very day of his re-election, president Obama received a slap in the face from Premier Benjamin Netanyahu.Even as the echo of the victory cheers of the president’s supporters were still » Read more

The line Obama needs to learn ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jordan Times by George S. Hishmeh - (Opinion) November 9, 2012 - 1:00am   Barack Obama is back at the White House for four more years — a step that delighted many in a shockingly divided United States and elsewhere, despite the fact that the American president and his right-wing Republican opponent virtually split the popular vote — 50.4 per cent of the votes went to the African-American president and 48 per cent to Mitt Romney. » Read more