The Palestinian Authority's statehood bid at the United Nations next month would “jeopardize” the stalled peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians, U.S. ambassador Susan Rice said Monday during a Security Council debate on the Middle East.

The Obama administration was able to stop the Palestinians' bid for statehood last year by threatening a veto at the Security Council. This time, however, Palestinians frustrated with the breakdown of negotiations since 2009 have said they will seek recognition as a non-member state, similar to the Vatican, which only needs approval by the General Assembly and isn't subject to veto.

“Unilateral actions, including initiatives to grant Palestinians non-member state observer status at the United Nations, would only jeopardize the peace process and complicate efforts to return the parties to direct negotiations,” Rice said. “Any efforts to use international fora to prejudge final status issues that can only be resolved directly by the parties will neither improve the daily lives of Palestinians nor foster the trust essential to make progress towards a two-state solution.”

NATO troops will remain alongside their American counterparts in Afghanistan after the White House's 2014 deadline, according to a plan announced by alliance leaders on Monday. 

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More than half of Republican voters want to hear the candidates talk more about foreign policy, according to a new poll from the Better World Campaign. 

Some 53 percent of Republicans said President Obama and GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney weren't talking enough about foreign policy, versus 40 percent of Democrats and 49 percent of independents. 

Registered voters polled earlier this month by Public Opinion Strategies and Hart Research Associates specifically said they wanted more information about plans to end the war in Afghanistan and to handle the U.S. relationship with Israel, Iran's alleged nuclear weapons program and instability in the Middle East. 

After playing a starring role in the 2004 and 2008 races, Iraq makes a late cameo in Obama-Romney contest.

The GOP senator said Sunday the attack undercut the administration's "narrative" about foreign policy successes in the Middle East.

Issa said Sunday the administration failed to "put real security ahead of the appearance of not needing security" in Libya.

“It would really be abhorrent to make this into a campaign issue,” said slain Ambassador Chris Stevens's father.

Senior Obama campaign advisor Robert Gibbs defended the president from Republican criticisms about his response to the attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya, saying that Obama was determined to figure out more about what led to the assault.

Republicans have criticized the administration for not immediately identifying the assault, which resulted in the death of U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens, an attack of terrorism. The GOP has also trained its focus on remarks made by Vice President Biden in his debate with Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) about the administration not being aware of requests for more security at U.S. embassies and consulates.

But during an appearance on CNN’s State of the Union on Sunday morning, Gibbs said “[F]irst and foremost, nobody wants to get to the bottom of exactly what happened more than this president and this administration.