Israel Wants to Strengthen the Palestinian Economy
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Media Line
by Linda Gradstein - September 23, 2012 - 12:00am

Palestinians say Measures Fall Short of What is Needed

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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."

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Erekat: UN resolution will set terms for talks with Israel
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post
by Tovah Lazaroff - September 20, 2012 - 12:00am

Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat on Thursday said the terms of reference for Palestinian negotiations with Israel will be set in a proposed UN General Assembly resolution. Speaking after a meeting with a number of European Union envoys in Jericho, Erekat said the process of establishing a state begins at the UN, so seeking upgraded statehood status at the United Nations is not a unilateral step. "No one is talking about canceling the peace process," he said.

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Year After Effort at U.N., New Aim for Palestinians
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times
by Jodi Rudoren - September 20, 2012 - 12:00am

JERICHO, West Bank — One year after the Palestinians’ high-profile failure to win United Nations membership through the Security Council, they are returning to the General Assembly next week seeking largely symbolic “nonmember state” status, with a subdued campaign that many analysts see as a long-shot effort to win back the waning attention of the world.

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PMO: PA's UN statehood bid violates Oslo process
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post
by Herb Keinon, Tovah Lazaroff - September 20, 2012 - 12:00am

The Prime Minister’s Office warned Thursday that a Palestinian unilateral statehood bid at the UN, along with attempts to set the territorial boundaries of the conflict through a General Assembly resolution, would be a “mistake” and “a blow to the peace process.” “We hope this does not happen,” said Mark Regev, spokesman for Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu. “The Palestinians committed themselves to resolving all outstanding issues in negotiations, and such a unilateral action would be viewed as a violation.”

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Fayyad’s democracy of bread
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by David Rosenberg - (Opinion) September 20, 2012 - 12:00am

The economic protests of the last couple of weeks have been principally about the rising price of fuel and the government’s austerity measures. But across the Middle East, it’s the price of bread that can spark revolution or ensure political quiet, which is why Egypt spends billions of dollars annually subsidizing bread prices. Thus, the agreement reached earlier this week between the Palestinian Authority and bakery owners in the West Bank to freeze bread prices until next month is laden with symbolism.

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Gaza on the Horse of the Muslim Brotherhood
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Al-Hayat
by Zuheir Kseibati - (Opinion) September 20, 2012 - 12:00am

With Egypt in the post-revolutionary phase, Hamas might become closer to the West Bank than it was while in the lap of the Syrian-Iranian rejectionism axis. And in light of the distance with Damascus, Meshaal has become closer to Ramallah than to the alliance with Khamenei. But what is certain is that Ismail Haniyeh is racing Meshaal to win the heart of the Muslim Brotherhood group, and the mind of President Muhammad Morsi, in order to launch a new round of the conflict with head of the Palestinian Authority Mahmoud Abbas.

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Israel's idée fixe of a peace-less status quo is returning
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
(Editorial) September 20, 2012 - 12:00am

On the 19th anniversary of the Declaration of Principles (the Oslo I Accord) between Israel and the PLO, and on the 17th anniversary of the Interim Agreement (Oslo II), the Oslo process has hit rock bottom.

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Fatah leader: Abbas won't quit
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency
September 20, 2012 - 12:00am

GAZA CITY (Ma'an) -- Mahmoud Abbas has no intention to resign and will remain president until the next elections, senior Fatah official Jamal Muhassen said Thursday.

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News Analysis: Palestinians' despair pushes call for annulling Oslo interim accords
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua
(Analysis) September 19, 2012 - 12:00am

RAMALLAH, Sept. 19 (Xinhua) -- The Palestinians signaled recently to annul or modify the interim Oslo peace accords signed with Israel in 1993, where observers considered the issue an explanation of despair towards reaching a final agreement and establish an independent Palestinian state.

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