April 30th

ATFP Senior Fellow Addresses Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism
Press Release - Contact Information: Hussein Ibish - April 29, 2009 - 12:00am

On April 22, ATFP Senior Fellow Hussein Ibish addressed the question of Israeli-Palestinian peace at the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism at California State University, San Bernardino. Ibish said that the Gaza war had again proven that neither Israelis nor Palestinians could achieve their fundamental aims or secure their national interests through the use of violence, and that a decent future for both peoples depends on an end-of-conflict agreement that allows a Palestinian state to live alongside Israel in peace and security.


ATFP Senior Fellow and Israel’s Consul General in “Mock Peace Summit” on NPR
Press Release - Contact Information: Hussein Ibish - April 30, 2009 - 12:00am

On Tuesday, April 28 2009, ATFP Senior Fellow Hussein Ibish and Jacob Dayan, the Consul General of Israel to the Southwest US, took part in a “mock peace summit" at the Japanese American National Museum in downtown Los Angeles. The program was broadcast on KPCC-FM’s AirTalk show and was hosted by the noted radio journalist Larry Mantle. The event was co-hosted by Community Advocates Inc., a nonprofit organization that advocates innovative approaches to human relations and race relations in Los Angeles.


The Jewish Daily Forward discusses Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu's probable choice for U.S. ambassador (1). Members of Congress express skepticism over President Obama's recently proposed amendments to the Palestinian aid plan (2). The Christian Science Monitor looks at a joint Israeli-Palestinian event to mark the anniversary of the founding of Israel (3). Despite recent crackdowns , smuggling tunnels continue to run between Gaza and Egypt (4) as two Palestinians are killed in a tunnel collapse (6). Palestinian officials say that President Mahmoud Abbas may form a new government before he meets with President Obama in late May (9), while Hamas warns that they will reject any new government if it does not gain approval by the Palestinian Legislative Council (10).

Views on Country’s Direction Shift in Israel
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Angus Reid Global Monitor
April 30, 2009 - 12:00am

(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - A third of Israelis appear satisfied with their country’s direction right now, according to a poll by Keevoon and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation. 33 per cent of respondents feel this way, up 17 points since 2007. Conversely, 46 per cent of respondents believe things in Israel are going in the wrong direction, down 20 points in two years.

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Amman, Riyadh seek peace within regional context
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jordan Times
April 30, 2009 - 12:00am

DAMMAM (Petra) - His Majesty King Abdullah held talks with King Abdullah Ben Abdul Aziz of Saudi Arabia on Wednesday on efforts to launch serious and effective negotiations to resolve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict on the basis of the two-state solution within a regional context. His Majesty briefed the Saudi leader on his talks with US President Barack Obama in Washington last week, which tackled the need for immediate action to launch negotiations in accordance with the agreed-on terms of reference, especially the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative.

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100 days on
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jordan Times
(Opinion) April 30, 2009 - 12:00am

Yesterday marked President Barack Obama’s first 100 days in office. An entirely arbitrary construct to evaluate a leader’s performance, it is nevertheless irresistible when it comes to Obama, of whom expectations are so high. His first priority was always going to be the global financial crisis. The massive stimulus package has yet to work its way down and out and it is impossible to say anything other than that Obama has tackled the crisis immediately and with enthusiasm.

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In Israel, Jews and Arabs aim to bridge 'independence' and 'catastrophe' narratives
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Christian Science Monitor
by Ilene Prusher - April 29, 2009 - 12:00am

Bet Oren, Israel - It happens every year around this time: Israelis celebrate the founding of their state in 1948 while Palestinians solemnly mark the same period in history they call the Catastrophe, and never the twain shall meet.

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West Bank: Death Penalty for Land Sale
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Agence France Presse (AFP)
April 28, 2009 - 12:00am

A Palestinian court sentenced a man to death on Tuesday for selling land in the West Bank to Israelis. The court in Hebron sentenced the man, Anwat Breghit, 59, to death by hanging after finding him guilty of treason and of “selling Palestinian land to Israelis.” The indictment says he sold property in the village of Beit Omar to Israelis from the Jewish settlement of Karmei Tzur. The sentence requires the approval of President Mahmoud Abbas in order to be carried out.


Two killed in Gaza-Egypt tunnel collapse: medics
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Agence France Presse (AFP)
April 30, 2009 - 12:00am

GAZA CITY - Two Palestinians were killed on Thursday when a smuggling tunnel linking the Gaza Strip and Gaza collapsed, Palestinian medics said. Three other people who were in the tunnel at the time of the collapse were still missing, they said. The Palestinians have been using hundreds of tunnels to ferry food supplies and other necessities into the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip, which has been under a crippling Israeli blockade since June 2007. Israel claims the tunnels are also used by the Islamists to smuggle weapons including rockets into the Gaza Strip for use against the Jewish state.


Israeli Arabs arrested for plotting attacks
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Associated Press
April 30, 2009 - 12:00am

JERUSALEM (AP) - Police say they have arrested seven Arab Israelis who plotted bomb attacks and kidnappings of Jews in retaliation for Israel's recent military offensive in Gaza. Police superintendent Avid Agarissi told Israel Radio the suspects were charged with contacting "terror groups in Gaza" to train to kidnap civilians and build explosive devices. He said they wanted to carry out attacks to avenge Palestinians killed in Gaza earlier this year. Police said the men were arrested earlier this month but details were only released Thursday for security reasons.

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