Middle East News: World Press Roundup

NEWS: The UN General Assembly votes overwhelmingly to grant Palestine "nonmember observer state" status. 138 countries voted yes, 9 no, and 41 abstained. Palestinians react with euphoria. The US strongly opposes the resolution.Israel and the Palestinians now both consider their next moves. Palestinians could try to seek access to global courts. PM Netanyahu is visiting Germany in the wake of its unexpected abstention, and condemns Pres. Abbas UN speech as "hostile and poisonous." Abbas says he will soon visit Gaza. Many Palestinians see the UN success as the possible prelude to national reconciliation. Israel is marketing its antimissile defense system. A Hamas militant is killed as war remnant ordinance explodes in Gaza. Israel says it will "retaliate" against the Palestinians by building 3,000 new settlement units, including in the highly sensitive E-1 corridor between East Jerusalem and the West Bank. COMMENTARY: Hussein Ibish says the PLO UN upgrade was entirely re-contextualized by the Gaza conflict. Barak Ravid looks at how Israel lost almost all European votes. Avi Issacharoff says Israel did Abbas a huge favor by hyping his UN initiative as "state terror." Abbas' UN speech is published in full. Hamas leader Meshaal says the Gaza war and the UN upgrade are complementary. Hassan Haidar says the UN victory is a win for Palestinian realism. The Daily Star says the UN vote was necessary and overdue. Ahmad Majdoubeh says Britain's abstention is a big disappointment. Imad Mrammel says Hezbollah learned important lessons by looking at the recent Israel-Hamas conflict. Raphael Ahren says the lopsided UN vote shows even some of Israel's allies blame it for the peace process impasse. Meir Javedanfar explains why he and some other Israelis supported the PLO UN initiative.

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U.N. Assembly, in Blow to U.S., Elevates Status of Palestine ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times by Ethan Bronner - November 29, 2012 - 1:00am UNITED NATIONS — More than 130 countries voted on Thursday to upgrade Palestine » Read more

Who voted for the Palestinian upgrade at the UN? Who against? ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz November 30, 2012 - 1:00am Voted for the resolution: Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Comoros, Costa Rica, Cuba, Cyprus, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, East Timor, Ecuador, Egypt,... » Read more

Palestinians euphoric over UN recognition ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press by Karin Laub - November 30, 2012 - 1:00am   RAMALLAH, West Bank —  » Read more

Explanation of Vote by Ambassador Susan E. Rice, U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Following UN General Assembly Vote on Palestinian Observer State Status Resolution ATFP World Press Roundup Article from United Nations by Susan E. Rice - November 29, 2012 - 1:00am Thank you, Mr. President. » Read more

After Vote, Palestinians and Israel Search for the Next Step ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times by Isabel Kershner - November 29, 2012 - 1:00am JERUSALEM — Saeb Erekat, a senior Palestinian official, recently said that the day after Palestine gained recognition as a n » Read more

The next stop for Palestinians could be global courts ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters by Joseph Schuman - November 30, 2012 - 1:00am Nov 29 (Reuters) - The U.N. General Assembly's overwhelming vote to recognize Palestine as a non-member state offers little prospect for greater clout in world politics but it could make a difference in the international courts. » Read more

Israel's Netanyahu to visit Germany ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press November 30, 2012 - 1:00am BERLIN - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu » Read more

Israel's Netanyahu slams Abbas speech as 'hostile and poisonous' ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency November 30, 2012 - 1:00am JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned President Mahmoud Abbas's strong critique of Israel in his speech at the United Nations on Thursday as "hostile and poisonous", and full of "false propaganda". » Read more

Mahmoud Abbas to visit Gaza after statehood win ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Khaled Abu Toameh - November 29, 2012 - 1:00am Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas is planning to visit the Gaza Strip after the UN General Assembly vote in favor of upgrading the status of the Palestinians to non-member observer state, a senior PLO official announced Thursday. The announcement came shortly before Abbas was asked the GA in New York to vote in favor of the statehood bid. » Read more

Palestinians See UN Gambit as Step Toward Reconciliation ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Media Line by Diana Atallah - November 30, 2012 - 1:00am [Ramallah] – Palestinians took to the streets of Ramallah on Thursday night and into the early hours of Friday morning to celebrate the UN General Assembly vote bestowing non-member status to “Palestine.” Celebrants expressed hope that their newfound recognition at the United Nations is a step closer to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state and many expressed belief that this diplomatic success was empowered by the recent military confrontation in the Gaza » Read more

UN vote on Palestinian statehood just another cautious step forward ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Guardian by Chris McGreal - November 29, 2012 - 1:00am The card players of the Al-Amari cafe have been around long enough to take a sceptical view of the United Nations vote on Thursday torecognise Palestinian statehood » Read more

Israel’s Antimissile System Attracts Potential Buyers ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times by Thom Shanker - November 29, 2012 - 1:00am WASHINGTON — The success cited by Israel » Read more

Hamas fighter killed as war remnants explode in Gaza ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency November 30, 2012 - 1:00am GAZA CITY (Ma'an) -- Hamas' military wing said one of its fighters was killed early Friday when remnants of Israeli weaponry from the latest Gaza assault exploded in the northern Gaza Strip. » Read more

Israel to build 3,000 settler homes after UN vote ATFP World Press Roundup Article from BBC News November 30, 2012 - 1:00am Israel has authorised the construction of 3,000 more housing units in occupied East Jerusalem and the West Bank, according to Israeli officials. It is also speeding up the processing of 1,000 planning permissions. » Read more

No 'victory' at UN unless Palestinian unity is the result ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The National by Hussein Ibish - (Opinion) November 30, 2012 - 1:00am The recent conflict between Israel and Hamas significantly recontextualised the request by the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) for an upgrade from the United Nations General Assembly to "non-member observer state" status. How all parties react to the upgrade will have a significant effect on the balance of power within Palestinian society, and strongly influence future regional developments. » Read more

How Israel lost Europe's support ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Barak Ravid - (Opinion) November 30, 2012 - 1:00am As the hours wore on Thursday, the magnitude of the Israeli defeat in the United Nations General Assembly became continually clearer. One after another, the Foreign Ministry and Prime Minister's Office received reports from Israeli embassies in Europe that countries were changing their votes at the last minute and leaning toward the Palestinians. A few hours before the vote, officials in Jerusalem understood... » Read more

A big thanks to Lieberman ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Avi Issacharoff - (Opinion) November 30, 2012 - 1:00am Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will certainly never admit it, but he owes a huge thank you to the Israeli government, especially Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman. Only a few days ago, it seemed Abbas might disappear from the Palestinian and international consciousness due to Hamas' achievements during Israel's Operation Pillar of Defense. » Read more

Full text: Abbas speech to UN General Assembly ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency by Mahmoud Abbas - (Transcript) November 30, 2012 - 1:00am Mr. President of the General Assembly, » Read more

Hamas says Gaza conflict, U.N. recognition go together ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters by Samia Nakhoul - (Interview) November 30, 2012 - 1:00am DOHA, Qatar Nov 30 (Reuters) - Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal said the de facto recognition of a sovereign Palestinian state won by his rival Mahmoud Abbas should be seen alongside Gaza's latest conflict with Israel as a single, bold strategy that could empower all Palestinians. » Read more

Palestinian Realism Triumphs Today ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Al-Hayat by Hassan Haidar - (Opinion) November 29, 2012 - 1:00am 65 years after the decision to divide their country, the Palestinians return to the United Nations today to obtain the long-delayed recognition of their sought-after state with its borders delineated as per Resolution 181, i.e. as they had been before the 5th of June 1967, and East Jerusalem as its capital, after Israel has been persistently eating away at it and Judaizing it during 45 years of occupation and still today.   » Read more

At last ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Daily Star (Editorial) November 30, 2012 - 1:00am The Palestinian bid for state recognition at the United Nations » Read more

Supporting Palestinians’ UN bid ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jordan Times by Ahmad Majdoubeh - (Opinion) November 29, 2012 - 1:00am Opposition to or reservation about the Palestinian UN bid to gain non-member observer state status is ill-advised, hypocritical and wrong, especially on part of the US, Germany and Britain. » Read more

Hezbollah Learns Lessons From Gaza Conflict ATFP World Press Roundup Article from As-Safir by Imad Mrammel - (Opinion) November 27, 2012 - 1:00am During the eight-day offensive against Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon was prepared for any possible assault by Israel. » Read more

Like it or not, the state of Palestine is semi-officially on the map ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Times of Israel by Raphael Ahren - (Opinion) November 30, 2012 - 1:00am On Thursday night, the world made much more than just a symbolic gesture. » Read more

Why I back Abbas’s UN initiative ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Times of Israel by Meir Javendanfar - (Opinion) November 28, 2012 - 1:00am I back Mahmoud Abbas’s initiative  » Read more

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