September 21st

Palestine to Bid For Observer Status at UN General Assembly ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Carnegie Middle East Center by Yezid Sayigh - (Opinion) September 20, 2012 - 12:00am Following a month of contradictory statements from various Palestinian Authority (PA) officials, on September 5 Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas confirmed that he would seek non-member observer status for Palestine at the United Nations when he addresses the General Assembly on September 27. In his announcement, he pointed to support for the bid from the Non-Aligned Movement, the Arab League's Council of Foreign Ministers and the Islamic states. » Read more

Palestine — The Sustainable Unsustainable Status Quo? ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Al-Monitor by Aaron David Miller - (Opinion) September 20, 2012 - 12:00am In recent months, the issue of Palestine has been pushed over the world’s and region’s radar screen by Iran, Syria and recent anti-American demonstrations sweeping the Arab and Muslim world.  hat’s happening here? Is the Israeli-Palestinian conflict old hat? Does anyone care anymore? Will it simply keep? » Read more

Ireland moves to ban imports from Israeli settlements ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Al-Arabiya September 21, 2012 - 12:00am A committee in Ireland’s Oireachtas, the country’s legislature, has called for a national ban on imported products from Israeli settlements considered internationally as illegal. The Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade is set to write a proposal on the ban to the deputy head of government, Eamonn Gilmore, who is also the minister of foreign affairs, Irish Times reported on Wednesday. » Read more

PLO: Over 400 Palestinians killed in Syria conflict ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Khaled Abu Toameh - September 20, 2012 - 12:00am More than 400 Palestinians have been killed since the beginning of the fighting between the Syrian army and anti-government forces, Zakariya al-Agha, a senior PLO official, announced Thursday. The announcement came as Palestinian refugees who fled from Syria to Jordan complained that the Palestinian Authority was doing nothing to assist them. Nearly 500,000 Palestinians live in a number of refugee camps in Syria. » Read more

Romney makes no mention of peace process during call with Jewish leaders ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Times of Israel by Yoel Goldman - September 21, 2012 - 12:00am Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney held a conference call with Jewish community leaders on Thursday night, but did not mention the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. Romney stressed the need to adopt an aggressive policy toward Iran’s nuclear program, which the Islamic Republic has long insisted is being cultivated for non-military purposes. » Read more

IDF soldier killed in terrorist attack on Egypt border ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Yoav Zitun - September 21, 2012 - 12:00am   Another serious incident on southern border: An Israeli soldier was killed and another was lightly to moderately injured when terrorists in the Sinai Peninsula opened fire on an IDF patrol in the Mount Sagi area, on the Israel-Egypt border, at around noon Friday. Heavy exchanges of fire ensued, during which the terrorists were killed. » Read more

Gaza ministry: Tunnel closures hurt imports ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency September 21, 2012 - 12:00am GAZA CITY (Ma'an) -- Basic goods are becoming more scarce in the Gaza Strip after Egypt moved to close dozens of tunnels under their border, Gaza's ministry of national economy said Friday. Monthly imports of basic foodstuffs, including flour, rice, sugar, and wheat, have fallen 31 percent since the tunnel closures, the ministry said in a statement. Construction materials brought through the tunnels have declined by 45 percent, it added. » Read more

Aid groups appeal to Quartet to halt demolitions ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency September 21, 2012 - 12:00am BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) -- The international Quartet of Middle East negotiators must take immediate action to stop 13 Palestinian villages from being destroyed and evacuated in south Hebron, a group of 30 international organizations said Friday. The rare appeal comes after several development agencies received demolition or stop work orders for aid projects in the area. Oxfam said it was given notice by Israeli authorities that it is not permitted to enter the villages to continue its development projects. » Read more

Palestinian forces return 3 Israeli soldiers strayed in West Bank ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua September 20, 2012 - 12:00am   RAMALLAH, Sept. 20 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian security forces returned three Israeli soldiers who entered a Palestinian- controlled area in the West Bank by mistake, a Palestinian official said Thursday. The governor of Nablus city, Gabreen Al-Bakri, told Xinhua that the soldiers were handed over to the Israeli side at a checkpoint near the city. Witnesses said that the soldiers were armed and entered the city in a red car with Israeli plates. » Read more

News analysis: Abbas' retirement threats an attention-getting bluff ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua by Adam Gonn - September 21, 2012 - 12:00am   JERUSALEM, Sept. 20 (Xinhua) -- The Palestinian National Authority (PNA) President Mahmoud Abbas has told his staff to start looking for someone to replace him, according to a recent report by Saudi Arabia's Al-Watan newspaper. "You have 10 days until I return from the United States," Abbas reportedly told members of his Fatah party, "You should seek a new president." » Read more