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

Egypt continues to support Palestinian reconciliation: FM ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua September 21, 2012 - 12:00am CAIRO, Sept. 20 (Xinhua) -- Egyptian Foreign Minister Mohamed Amr said Egypt is working on the Palestinian reconciliation, state media reported on Thursday. "We hope the disputes between the West Bank and the Gaza strip will be resolved soon," said Amr, adding that differences weaken the reconciliation efforts, official news agency MENA reported. » Read more

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.” » Read more

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. » Read more