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Media Summary

Security Council to open discussion on Palestinian membership

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In the UK and international press today, several papers note that PA President Mahmoud Abbas received strong support when he returned to Ramallah after his address and application for statehood to the UN General Assembly. Abbas addressed the supporters and called the occasion a “Palestinian Spring.” In other news, the Independent notes that Israel will payout compensation to Palestinian peace activist Bassem Aramim whose 10-year-old daughter was killed by Border Police in 2007.

Over the weekend, all papers carried articles on PA President Mahmoud Abbas’ and his application on Friday to the UN General Assembly for a Palestinian state. The papers reported that Abbas received a warm welcome and strong support when he returned to Ramallah following his trip to the UN headquarters in New York. Reuters reported that Abbas said on Sunday that he refused to hold direct peace talks with Israel without a settlement construction freeze in the West Bank. The Telegraph ran an editorial piece on the bid for a Palestinian state, while the Independent looked at Britain’s role in the Palestinian bid.

On the front pages of Israeli newspapers today, Haaretz and the Jerusalem Post report that PA President Mahmoud Abbas received a warm welcome from supporters when he returned to Ramallah, following the Palestinian application for statehood at the General Assembly on Friday. All papers also note that the final recommendations of the Trajtenberg Committee will be handed to the government today. The committee will suggest boosting the social welfare budget by NIS 6 billion. Israel Hayom focuses on the defence budget cuts that will need to take place to support the funding of the Trajtenberg panel’s recommendations.

In other news, Haaretz notes that the UN Security Council will today begin to discuss informally the Palestinian application for statehood. The paper also notes that Israeli and Palestinian security coordination in the West Bank remains effective despite heightened tensions and an increased number of stone throwing incidents. The Jerusalem Post and Ynetnews note that the Taba border crossing between Eilat and Egypt has been closed to Israelis due to security concerns.