March 2nd

Rightists march in Jaffa ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Yoav Zitun - March 2, 2011 - 1:00am Traffic was halted on one of Jaffa's main streets Wednesday morning as 60 right-wing activists prepared to march in protest against "the Islamic Movement's operations in the city" and "the Islamic takeover". Large police forces were deployed to prevent clashes with residents. As the marchers proceeded down the street residents called out, "racists go home" and some clashes broke out. Police detained 16 left-wing activists for questioning after an officer was lightly injured in the clashes. » Read more

Settlement evacuation not a sign of Israeli new policy ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua by Adam Gonn - March 2, 2011 - 1:00am Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday told a member of his Likud party that Israel cannot ignore world pressure over its construction of settlements in the West Bank. Netanyahu said his government is trying to maintain the current pace of building, but Israel now faces a new international reality. The comments were made one week after the United States used its veto in the UN Security Council to block a resolution condemning Israeli settlements in the West Bank, while the 14 other members of the council voted in favor. » Read more

Peace now, with Syria ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Eitan Haber - (Opinion) March 1, 2011 - 1:00am One needs to be nuts in order to endorse peace negotiations with Syria at this time, no? Today, with turmoil all around us, as Egypt burns, Libya is in flames, and the same is happening in Yemen, Oman, and Bahrain? Right now? After all, what’s so wrong with the quiet that prevails on the Syrian border? For 37 years now there have been no clashes with the Syrian army on the Golan Heights. No casualties were reported and their soldiers (or so we believe) are terrified in their own bunkers, fearing the rush of Israeli tanks into Syria. So why now of all times? » Read more

Palestinians try to create 'Facebook revolution' ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Associated Press by Mohammed Daraghmeh - March 1, 2011 - 1:00am The mass demonstrations sweeping the Middle East are touching the Palestinian territories, where West Bank and Gaza Strip activists are trying to organize their own "Facebook revolutions." The Palestinian activists are inspired by the calls for democracy that toppled autocratic leaders in Egypt and Tunisia and threaten longtime rulers in Libya and Bahrain. » Read more

Jehan Sadat: Egypt-Israel peace treaty not in danger at all ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post March 1, 2011 - 1:00am The peace treaty between Israel and Egypt is not in danger and all opposition groups said they will respect international treaties, said Jehan Sadat Tuesday night in an interview with Channel 10 News. Jehan, the widow of former Egyptian president Anwar Sadat who signed the peace treaty with Israel in 1979, said she does not think there will be any changes made to the treaty and that "the people will not let there be any changes." » Read more

Housing for Jews approved in east Jerusalem ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Associated Press by Amy Teibel - March 2, 2011 - 1:00am Jerusalem officials approved new housing for Jews in the heart of an Arab neighborhood, officials said Wednesday, infuriating Palestinians who see the growing Jewish presence in the city's war-won eastern sector as undermining their aspirations to statehood. The approval further complicates efforts to restart deadlocked negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians. The municipality said the plan to build 14 apartments in the Ras al-Amud neighborhood met all the necessary conditions for approval. » Read more

Settlers accusing Netanyahu gov’t of imposing silent building freeze ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA) by Leslie Susser - February 28, 2011 - 1:00am Although the 10-month moratorium on building in Jewish settlements in the West Bank was lifted last September, settler leaders complain that no construction is being allowed in the large urban areas and warn that a de facto freeze on all Jewish building in the West Bank is looming. The settler leaders maintain that the Netanyahu administration is refusing to publish new tenders and that all current building is based on a limited number of permits issued years ago by previous governments. » Read more

For J Streeters, pro-Palestinian is pro-Israel ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA) by Uriel Heilman - March 1, 2011 - 1:00am The detractors of J Street, the “pro-Israel, pro-peace” lobbying organization, like to portray the organization's leader, Jeremy Ben-Ami, as so far to the left of mainstream American Jewish opinion as to be out of bounds. If they think Ben-Ami is too much of a lefty on Israel, just wait till they meet J Street's rank and file. » Read more

Israel might seek interim Palestinian peace deal ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters by Maayan Lubell - March 1, 2011 - 1:00am Israel is considering pursuing an interim peace agreement with the Palestinians, a senior official said on Tuesday, signalling the government might abandon efforts to secure a single, comprehensive accord. The official, who declined to be named, said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu might seek a "phased path" towards a permanent deal rather than a treaty that resolved all the core issues as envisaged by the United States and European allies. "Obviously Israel would prefer a final-status agreement but the consistent Palestinian refusal makes that difficult," the official said. » Read more

Realism and State Building in Palestine: Interview with Hussein Ibish ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Prospect by Charles de la Cruz - (Interview) March 2, 2011 - 1:00am As another decade is added to the over half-century of conflict in Israel and Palestine, optimism continues to be crushed under the weight of time. The breakdown of direct negotiations last September that resulted from Israel’s refusal to continue the freeze on settlements only made the future bleaker. No matter what side of the issue one sits on, it is clear that the approaches of both sides have failed to produce real solutions. New ideas and approaches are necessary if the conflict is going to be resolved in the foreseeable future. » Read more