December 1st

Released Palestinians build houses, marry, study
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Associated Press
by Daniella Cheslow - December 1, 2011 - 1:00am


Palestinian prisoners released in a swap for an Israeli soldier last month are racing to make up for lost time: Many of the 477 former inmates are already getting married, building homes or enrolling in college, even as Israel keeps a close eye on them in fear they could return to violence. Most had spent long years behind bars, and even expected to die in prison for their roles in bloody attacks that killed hundreds of Israelis.


Lieberman denounces 'mistaken decision' to hand over Palestinian tax money
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Barak Ravid - December 1, 2011 - 1:00am


Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman denounced on Wednesday the decision to handover $100 million in tax money to the Palestinian Authority. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's top cabinet ministers approved the handover of the funds despite the vocal opposition of Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman. Lieberman, who voted against the transfer in a forum of eight meeting on Wednesday, said “Israel should have explained the decision clearly to the international community, instead of allowing pressure to lead to a mistaken decision.”


Resumption of Israeli transfers averts PA crisis
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Associated Press
by Karin Laub - November 30, 2011 - 1:00am


Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' government narrowly dodged a full-blown cash crisis after Israel agreed Wednesday — under intense international pressure — to resume the transfer of $100 million a month in frozen tax funds.


Netanyahu balks at Abbas proposal for Palestinian state borders
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Barak Ravid - December 1, 2011 - 1:00am


Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas recently provided representatives of the Middle East Quartet with a new proposal on borders for a Palestinian state and security arrangements that Israel would be provided in a peace agreement. The Quartet, which is comprised of the United States, the United Nations, the European Union and Russia, has demanded that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu provide a counterproposal, however Israel has refused to do so, saying that any counterproposal should be presented in direct negotiations with the Palestinians.


Palestinians to wean themselves off foreign aid
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Associated Press
December 1, 2011 - 1:00am


The Palestinian prime minister says he wants to drastically reduce his government's reliance on foreign aid next year, and hopes to be able to pay for day-to-day operations with local revenues by 2013. Salam Fayyad told The Associated Press in an interview Thursday that his decision was spurred by what he described as the Palestinian Authority's worst financial crisis since its inception in the mid-1990s. The crisis was triggered by reduced foreign aid and Israel's suspension last month of the transfer of taxes it collects for the Palestinians.



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