Poll: Majority of Palestinians, Israelis say attack on Iran would result in major war ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Akiva Eldar - September 20, 2012 - 12:00am Around 80 percent of both Israelis and Palestinians say that an Israeli strike against Iran's nuclear facilities would ignite a major regional war, a joint Israeli-Palestinian survey indicated on Thursday, adding that around 70 percent of respondents say they believe the chances of establishing a Palestinian state in the next five years were practically nonexistent. » Read more

Palestinians Undecided on Timing Of UN Observer Status Bid ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Al-Ayyam by Hani Habib - September 19, 2012 - 12:00am Despite the clamor caused by the Palestinian premier when he requested that Palestine be given the status of “observer state” at the United Nations General Assembly, the Palestinian Authority has decided to go forward with this request at the UN. However, the PA is still uncertain of the best way to present this demand, and is hesitant regarding the vote it will undergo. » Read more

Study: Obama’s middle name influences Israeli perceptions ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA) September 19, 2012 - 12:00am (JTA) – President Obama’s middle name, Hussein, can influence the way he is perceived by Israelis, a new study found. Researchers at the University of Haifa and University of Texas found that when Obama’s middle name was used to identify him, Israelis saw him as less pro-Israel. Results of the study, which was published in the journal Political Behavior, were announced Wednesday in a news release. » Read more

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. » Read more

Jailed Palestinian activist ends hunger strike, amid signs of possible release ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Amira Hass - September 20, 2012 - 12:00am The campaign being waged by international pro-Palestinian activists against the incarceration of Zakarya Zubeidi is beginning to show signs of success, friends of the Jenin Freedom Theater co-founder said Thursday. Zubeidi, a resident of the Jenin refugee camp and a former leading militant turned cultural activist, has been under Palestinian Authority custody since May and went on hunger strike September 9. » Read more

AG urges Barak to allow inspectors to prosecute illegal construction in West Bank ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Chaim Levinson - September 20, 2012 - 12:00am Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein has requested Defense Minister Ehud Barak to allow construction inspectors operating in the West Bank to prosecute settlers who build without permits, Haaretz learned on Wednesday. The request was made as part of the AG's appeal to bolster the Civil Administration's inspecting unit, originally submitted a few months ago as part of the battle against illegal construction in settlements and outposts, only to be resubmitted recently. » Read more

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. » Read more

Despite calm, Palestinian Authority still on brink of collapse ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency by Ghassan Khatib - (Opinion) September 19, 2012 - 12:00am Last week, the Palestinian Authority experienced the most dangerous internal crises it has faced since its establishment in 1994. Although the immediate cause of that crisis was the government’s announcement of price hikes in fuel and a 1-percent increase in the value added tax, it is difficult to understand what happened without acknowledging the other, less obvious factors that contributed, including the current political environment. » Read more

Bibi's Chutzpah ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Council on Foreign Relations by Michael Desch - (Opinion) September 18, 2012 - 12:00am Speaking at a news conference in Jerusalem last week, Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu expressed outrage at the refusal of the Obama administration to set "red lines" for Iran's progress on its nuclear program: limits that, if crossed by the Iranians, would trigger U.S. military action against the Islamic Republic. Netanyahu suggested that by not taking a harder line, the United States might fail to persuade Israel to forego a unilateral strike against Iran's nuclear facilities. » Read more

The Answers to Mitt Romney's Israel-Palestine Apathy ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Atlantic by Zvika Krieger - (Opinion) September 19, 2012 - 12:00am Just as Mitt Romney's campaign advisors promised this week that his campaign would start having real policy discussions, we receive the candidate's most substantive treatment of the Middle East to date, in the form of a leaked video from a recent closed-door fundraiser. His main thesis seems to be that, for Israelis and Palestinians, "the pathway to peace is almost unthinkable to accomplish." He provides two general arguments to support his claim, both of which are problematic. » Read more