Competing claims continue over the death of a Palestinian protester at the hands of Israeli forces. The CSM asks if Israel is still a democracy. Aaron David Miller urges a stronger role for Sec. Clinton. Rob Danin analyzes Palestinian state building. Violence continues on the Israel-Gaza border. PM Netanyahu will meet Pres. Mubarak. Muslim, Christian and Jewish clerics meet in Ramallah. Palestinians seek quick action at the UN on settlements, as a draft resolution is finalized. Israel may have charged bribes for access to Gaza. Disputes continue about a new Palestinian planned city in the West Bank. Reports say Palestinians have presented proposals on borders and security but Israel has ignored them. Palestinians urge the US to pressure Israel to accept a Palestinian state. Netanyahu may be investigating his senior aides. Jordan's king says swift action is needed on peace. The Knesset decides to investigate Israeli human rights groups. JJ Goldberg says Netanyahu is losing support of the Israeli senior military. Michael Young says the US needs to proceed very carefully on peace. Chile warms to a Palestinian state.

WikiLeaks: Israel charged bribes for Gaza access
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press
by Josef Federman - January 6, 2011 - 1:00am

A U.S. diplomatic cable released by WikiLeaks on Thursday quoted American officials as saying a key Israeli cargo crossing for goods entering the Gaza Strip was rife with corruption. The June 14, 2006, cable, published Thursday by Norway's Aftenposten daily, says major American companies told U.S. diplomats they were forced to pay hefty bribes to get goods into Gaza. It was unclear whether the practice still continues. There was no immediate comment from Israel.

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Palestinians seek quick UN action on settlements
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters
January 6, 2011 - 1:00am

The chief Palestinian U.N. delegate said on Wednesday that Arab states had launched negotiations on a resolution condemning Israeli West Bank settlement activity and aimed to have a final draft soon. An initial text, prepared by more than a dozen countries, was delivered to members of the 15-nation Security Council in December. A group of mostly Arab nations met this month's council president, Bosnian ambassador Ivan Barbalic, in New York to discuss progress on the draft resolution.

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Israel, Palestinians argue over building new city in West Bank
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua
by Osama Radi - January 4, 2011 - 1:00am

Arguments between Israel and the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) mounted on Monday over building a new city north of the West Bank city of Ramallah, which involved several private Israeli housing companies. Several months ago, the Palestinian Developing Company of Beiti, the major Palestinian company responsible for building the city, and around 12 Israeli construction companies signed the contracts to build the first-ever new Palestinian city called Rawabi. However, the contracts valued billions of Israeli shekels have been opposed by both Israelis and Palestinians.

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Muslim, Christian and Jewish clerics meet in Ramallah
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency
January 6, 2011 - 1:00am

Muslim, Christian and Jewish clerics met in Ramallah on Wednesday to declare a joint stance on Israel's occupation of Jerusalem. The religious leaders met at the offices of the Islamic Christian Commission in Support of Jerusalem and the Holy Sites. In a news conference at the Ramallah office, the commission's secretary-general Dr Hasan Khatir welcomed the religious officials, in particular Rabbi Yisrael Hirsch, head of the Neturei Karta group. Khatir said the press conference was held to refute "Zionist lies."

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Israeli PM ignores Palestinian peace map: report
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua
January 3, 2011 - 1:00am

While Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has declared on Sunday his willingness to discuss all core Mideast issues with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, he is de facto ignoring the Palestinian National Authority's efforts to present him with its peace plan, local daily Ma'ariv reported on Monday. Israeli representatives, including Netanyahu, have repeatedly turned down in recent weeks their Palestinian counterparts' requests to review official documents drafted by the PNA which detail their position on essential issues of the conflict.

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Netanyahu to meet Mubarak in Sharm
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency
January 6, 2011 - 1:00am

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu heads Thursday to Egypt for talks with President Hosni Mubarak on ways to break the impasse in peace negotiations with the Palestinians, his office said. The two leaders will meet in the Red Sea resort of Sharm Ash-Sheikh for talks that will also focus on threats facing the region. "On the agenda for the talks is the advancement of the political process, regional issues and other subjects of interest to the two countries," a statement from Netanyahu's office said.

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Palestinian official urges US to oblige Israel to accept Palestinian state
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua
January 2, 2011 - 1:00am

A senior Palestinian official on Monday urged the United States to oblige Israel to accept an independent Palestinian state to end the ongoing conflicts. "The United States should carry out its pledges to find a fair solution to the Palestinian cause and achieve peace and stability in the region," said Tayeb Abdel Rahim, chief secretary of the Palestinian presidency, when addressing on behalf of Palestinian National Authority President Mahmoud Abbas a rally held in Ramallah to mark the 46 anniversary of the establishment of Fatah movement.

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Violence on Gaza border continues
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency
January 6, 2011 - 1:00am

Three mortar shells were said to have been fired toward an Israeli military base along the Gaza border on Thursday morning, an armed group affiliated with the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine said. The Jihad Jibril Brigades said the mortars targeted the Kissufim military zone northeast Al-Qararra near Khan Younis. An Israeli military spokeswoman said she had reports of a projectile landing at approximately 7:30 a.m. in the Negev regional council area, north of the Gaza Strip, but said she was not aware of any attacks in the area of Kissufim.

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Report: Netanyahu ordered Shin Bet to investigate senior aides
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
January 6, 2011 - 1:00am

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the Shin Bet security service a few months ago to investigate senior members of his bureau suspected of passing sensitive information to the media, Army Radio reported on Thursday. Netanyahu's suspicions were aimed at some of his closest aides and he thus made a personal request to the Shin Bet and to Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein to look into the matter, according to the report.

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