A year on, calls for statehood hide PA failures
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The National
(Editorial) September 27, 2012 - 12:00am

A year ago, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas went to the United Nations with a rightful bid for state membership. The move for full membership was never voted on at the Security Council (largely due to US pressure).* Today Mr Abbas returns to the UN General Assembly, this time seeking to lay the groundwork for a new resolution to elevate the Palestinians from "observer entity" to "observer state".

»

Shenanigans at work in the UN
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Gulf News
by George S. Hishmeh - (Opinion) September 27, 2012 - 12:00am

The Middle East figured prominently, but not sufficiently, in the speech of the US President Barack Obama at the opening session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York City on Tuesday, six weeks before the US presidential elections and in the presence of 120 world leaders.

»

Abbas set to renew bid to upgrade Palestine's UN status
Media Mention of Hussein Ibish In The National - September 27, 2012 - 12:00am

RAMALLAH // When Mahmoud Abbas addresses the UN General Assembly today, those in attendance could be forgiven if they experience a sense of déjà vu. During his speech at last year's annual gathering of the world body, the Palestinian Authority (PA) president announced his intention to seek recognition for a Palestinian state amid great fanfare and popular support back home. Today, he is expected to make a similar request. Only this time, the distinguished guests will notice the Palestinian leader doing so under less enthusiastic circumstances.

»

Mideast Peace Mired as Abbas Trades Taunts With Netanyahu
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Bloomberg
by Nicole Gaouette, Flavia Krause-Jackson - September 27, 2012 - 12:00am

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu exchanged taunts at the United Nations as the world body watched a peace process that has all but slipped away.

»

Abbas says to seek upgrade of Palestinian UN status
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters
by Louis Charbonneau - September 27, 2012 - 12:00am

UNITED NATIONS, Sept 27 (Reuters) - Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said on Thursday he would seek to have the Palestinians' U.N. status upgraded to a sovereign country and cautioned that Israeli settlement expansion meant time was running out for a two-state solution. "Despite all the complexities of the prevailing reality and all the frustrations that abound, we say before the international community there is still a chance - maybe the last - to save the two-state solution and to salvage peace," Abbas told the U.N. General Assembly.

»

Palestinians set for Pyrrhic victory in United Nations
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters
by Crispian Balmer - (Analysis) September 26, 2012 - 12:00am

RAMALLAH (Reuters) -- If at first you don't succeed, try, try again. After failing last year to win recognition of full statehood at the United Nations, President Mahmoud Abbas returns to New York on Thursday to ask the General Assembly for a less ambitious status upgrade.

»

Palestinian Leader Abbas Back at UN With Lowered Aims
Media Mention of Hussein Ibish In Bloomberg - September 26, 2012 - 12:00am

This time last year Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas was a hero to his people as he waved an application for statehood recognition from the podium of the United Nations General Assembly.

»

No date set for UN vote on Palestinian bid for recognition: official
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua
September 26, 2012 - 12:00am

RAMALLAH, Sept. 26 (Xinhua) -- A senior Palestinian official revealed Wednesday that no date has been set for the vote in the United Nations General Assembly to recognize a non-member state of Palestine. Palestinian Foreign Minister Reyad al-Malki, who is currently in New York to attend the UN General Assembly meetings, told " Voice of Palestine" radio that the issue is not related to the Palestinian readiness.

»

Palestinian delegation working quietly at UN
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency
September 26, 2012 - 12:00am

NEW YORK (Ma'an) -- In stark contrast to 2011, the Palestinian delegation to the UN General Assembly is working quietly and limiting its remarks to the media. Since Friday, few details have emerged of President Mahmoud Abbas' visit to New York for the UN's 67th General Assembly, or his plan to seek an upgrade to Palestine's status at the world body.

»

No Drama at Turtle Bay
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Huffington Post
by Ziad Asali - (Blog) September 26, 2012 - 12:00am

At the United Nations General Assembly meeting, the world will be watching -- though with markedly less intensity than last year -- to see what the Palestinians will do. The prevailing mood among Palestinians appears to have assimilated some lessons from last year's experience -- that uncoordinated diplomatic initiatives can produce a damaging deterioration in relations with the West, a devastating reduction of aid, and no improvements in living conditions on the ground, even as they fail to achieve their stated objective.

»


American Task Force on Palestine - 1634 Eye St. NW, Suite 725, Washington DC 20006 - Telephone: 202-262-0017