Coverage in this morning’s UK dailies is dominated by the United Nations General Assembly vote expected to take place during the early hours of Friday morning, which is set to approve a resolution to recognise the Palestinian delegation as representative of a ‘non-member state.’ The headline on the issue in many newspapers, including the Telegraph, Guardian, Evening Standard, Daily Mail, Daily Mirror, Independent i, The Sun and Independent focuses on the position of the UK government which appears poised to abstain in the vote. Foreign Secretary William Hague explained to the House of Commons yesterday that the UK will not be able to vote in favour of the resolution but will instead abstain unless the Palestinian Authority (PA) make public commitments to return immediately to peace talks with Israel without pre-conditions and pledge not to ask for the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court to be extended to Palestine. The Independent reports that the UK’s position may sour relations with Gulf states and leave the country isolated within the European Union.

The Guardian devotes significant column inches to indications that the Israeli government will not take any serious measures against the PA in response to the UN upgrade initiative, instead opting to monitor how it uses its imminent ‘non-member state’ status. The Financial Times reports that at least 140 of the 193 UN member states are expected to vote in favour of the resolution and that Operation Pillar of Defence may have prompted several European countries to support the initiative in an attempt to bolster PA President Mahmoud Abbas with Hamas having gained popularity on the Palestinian street.

There is also significant analysis and comment on the UN vote. Writing in the Independent, former Israeli official Uri Dromi argues that Palestinian leaders have for decades chosen to reject a peaceful solution with Israel and continue to refuse to come to the negotiating table. In the Telegraph online, Diplomatic Correspondent Alex Spillius argues that the UN vote could revive Israel-Palestinian peace talks. Meanwhile, an editorial in the Guardian notes the historic significance of the date of today’s vote, marking exactly 65 years since the UN General Assembly approved the Partition Plan to establish a Jewish State and outlines some of the potential outcomes of adopting today’s resolution. An editorial in the Independent ponders whether today’s vote will have any real practical impact on moving towards a two-state solution.

Elsewhere in the region, the online editions of the Times and the Financial Times report that Egyptian President Mohammed Mursi has instructed the assembly drafting the country’s new constitution to finish its work today ahead of a possible referendum in mid-December. This accelerated timetable is viewed as an attempt by Mursi to quell the unrest that has erupted following his adoption of sweeping powers last week.

Also online, the Telegraph and Financial Times report that the European Union has approved a UK proposal to roll over sanctions against Syria, which also include an arms ban, for just another three months rather than the coming year as expected. This could pave the way for the UK to sidestep a legal obstacle and begin to help arm opposition forces in Syria from as early as 1 March. Meanwhile, the online editions of the Guardian and Times cover the ongoing violence in Syria, including two car bombs in Damascus that killed at least 34 people and the first apparent use of advanced anti-aircraft missiles by Syrian opposition fighters.

In Israel, the headlines are similarly dominated by the UN General Assembly vote. It is the headline story in Yediot Ahronot, Maariv, Haaretz, Makor Rishon and Israel Hayom, which leads with the headline “Virtual State.” Maariv reports that PA President Mahmoud Abbas refused an understanding to renew peace negotiations in return for shelving the UN vote, while Makor Rishon and Israel Radio News cover comments by Cabinet Secretary Tzvi Hauser who says that the PA has ‘broken the rules of the game’ by pushing the vote through the UN General Assembly. Writing in Yediot Ahronot, Shimon Shiffer argues that the UN vote is a diplomatic failure for the Israeli government, commenting “Only Netanyahu could promise the Palestinians two states: A Hamastan state in Gaza and a UN member state in the West Bank.” In Maariv, Ben-Dror Yemini opines that Abbas has consistently refused to take brave steps to secure a peace agreement with Israel and “More than anything, the Palestinians have turned to the UN not to promote the peace process but mainly in order to bypass it.”

The other major story in Israel is the Labour Party primaries that will take place today. Approximately 63,000 registered party members will be able to vote in 450 polling stations to choose the party’s Knesset candidates for January’s election. Maariv reports that Isaac Herzog and Amir Peretz will fight it out for second spot on the list of candidates behind party leader Shelley Yachimovich, who is widely quoted as saying she wants a “balanced” list, indicating her concern that the party may choose candidates too left wing for her liking. Results of the vote are expected to be announced early tomorrow morning.