June 24th

Israel launches Ofek 9 spy satellite ATFP World Press Roundup Article from BBC News June 24, 2010 - 12:00am The satellite's high resolution camera would significantly boost Israel's intelligence gathering, officials told local media. Israel's defence ministry said the Ofek 9 was launched from Palmachim air force base on its south coast near Tel Aviv. It is one of at least four Israeli spy satellites currently orbiting the Earth. "This provides Israel with greater operational flexibility, since we now have another set of eyes on a target," Chaim Eshed, the director of Israel's military space programme, told The Jerusalem Post. » Read more

UN chief says East Jerusalem demolition plan 'illegal' ATFP World Press Roundup Article from BBC News June 24, 2010 - 12:00am On Monday Jerusalem City Council approved the plan to demolish 22 Palestinian homes in Silwan - part of a major redevelopment of the area. The move has drawn criticism both at home and from the Obama administration. Mr Ban said the plan was "contrary to international law" and "unhelpful" to efforts to restart peace negotiations. The scheme is still in an initial stage. » Read more

My blueprint for a resolution ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Avigdor Lieberman - (Opinion) June 24, 2010 - 12:00am The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results,” Albert Einstein once said. Since 1993, successive governments, supported by the international community, have tried to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict using the flawed paradigm of land for peace. Each time, the same formula was attempted, but failed every time because of Arab recalcitrance. » Read more

Lieberman proposes peace 'blueprint' ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post June 24, 2010 - 12:00am Arguing that “history is moving away from attempts to accommodate competing national aspirations in a single state,” Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman on Thursday issued a highly specific demand for “an exchange of populated territories” that would place many Israeli Arabs inside a new Palestinian state. In an op-ed that appears in Thursday’s Jerusalem Post, he stressed that this would not require “physical population transfer or the demolition of houses,” but rather “creating a border where none existed, according to demographics...” » Read more

Malaysia pushing for UN debate on raid ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Yitzhak Benhorin - June 24, 2010 - 12:00am Malaysia, backed by the Arab states, has initiated a UN debate regarding the Turkish flotilla events, which is slated to be held during Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's visit to Washington. The Arab states and Non-Aligned countries are working to keep the issue on the international agenda. » Read more

UN urges Israel to rethink East Jerusalem construction plans ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz June 24, 2010 - 12:00am The United Nations late Wednesday called Israel's plan to demolish Arab homes in East Jerusalem for the purpose of settlement construction "unhelpful" and "contrary to international law." "The Secretary-General is deeply concerned about the decision by the Jerusalem municipality to advance planning for house demolitions and further settlement activity in the area of Silwan," UN Chief Ban Ki-moon's press office said in a statement. "The planned moves are contrary to international law, and to the wishes of Palestinian residents." » Read more

European MPs to Israel: Lift Gaza blockade completely ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Deutsche Presse Agentur (DPA) June 24, 2010 - 12:00am The Council of Europe parliamentarians Thursday called on Israel to completely end its siege of the Gaza Strip, days after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered an ease of the land blockade. Israel should allow goods to be delivered to the coastal enclave by land and sea, "without prejudice to its own security," so Palestinians can enjoy "normal living conditions," said the resolution adopted by a large majority of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE). » Read more

Hamas-run TV stops broadcast on French satellite ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua June 24, 2010 - 12:00am The Hamas-run al-Aqsa TV station in Gaza announced that its broadcast through the French-based satellite provider Eutelsat will be forced stop within six hours. "Talks with the French government to call off the ban decision have failed and the order will come into force tonight at 8:00 p.m. local time (1700 GMT)," a press release by the TV station said. France ordered last week that the al-Aqsa Channel not be broadcast through Eutelsat, claiming that the TV incites hatred and violence against Jews and Israel. » Read more

Abbas: Israeli practices in East Jerusalem endanger peace ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua June 24, 2010 - 12:00am Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas warned on Thursday that the Israeli measures in East Jerusalem jeopardize the peace process. "The Israeli practices in East Jerusalem hinder peace talks," Abbas told a press conference here with the visiting Austrian Chancellor Werner Faymann. The Palestinian president was apparently referring to Israel's recent plan to demolish Palestinian houses in East Jerusalem for the purpose of settlement construction. » Read more

Fearing expulsion, Palestinians stay home ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press by Diaa Hadid - June 24, 2010 - 12:00am The Helou family is so worried about getting expelled to Gaza by Israeli authorities that they're all but trapped in this West Bank town. They couldn't even leave to get their disabled son the best possible surgery to let him walk. Some 20,000 Palestinians in the West Bank live under the same fear, because they hold residency papers from the Gaza Strip and Israeli authorities refuse to allow their papers to be updated — though they have lived in the West Bank for years. » Read more