June 23rd

Is the Arab Peace Initiative still viable? ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Arab News by Alon Ben-meir - (Opinion) June 22, 2011 - 12:00am In 1973, Israel's Foreign Minister Abba Eban famously stated that “Arabs never miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity.” Today, however, this phrase is more aptly attributable to Israelis than to the Palestinians. It is clear that Israel is missing a historic opportunity now to capitalize, at least in principle, on the contents of Arab Peace Initiative (API), which offers full normalized relations with the entire Arab world in exchange for the return of the territories captured in 1967 and a negotiated two-state solution. » Read more

International flotilla, again ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jordan Times by Michael Jansen - (Opinion) June 23, 2011 - 12:00am Boats participating in the latest international flotilla to challenge Israel’s siege and blockade of Gaza are set to gather in the eastern Mediterranean next week and attempt to make the passage to the strip in spite of threats from the Israeli navy to block the way. » Read more

Arab autocrats suit Israel perfectly ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Gulf News by Faisal Al Qasim - (Opinion) June 23, 2011 - 12:00am Never take Israeli criticism of Arab dictatorships seriously. It is just for media consumption. In actual fact Israel would hate to see Arab dictators go as they suit it best. That is why the Israeli, together with the Iranian and other Arab lobbies are working constantly hard these days behind the scenes to prop up endangered despotic Arab regimes. » Read more

‘Who Is a Jew?’ Again?! ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jewish Daily Forward (Editorial) June 22, 2011 - 12:00am On the emotional, bedeviling issue of “Who is a Jew?” in Israel, there’s been a small but welcome move toward Jewish reconciliation and an infuriating roadblock put in the way of further progress. First, the good news, because that’s a precious commodity on this subject. After months and months of negotiations, the Ministry of the Interior agreed that the Jewish Agency for Israel will now take the lead role in verifying Orthodox conversions as they relate to granting automatic Israeli citizenship under the Law of Return. » Read more

Pressure mounts on Palestinians to abandon U.N. statehood gambit ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA) by Leslie Susser - (Analysis) June 21, 2011 - 12:00am The pressure on Mahmoud Abbas to back down from plans to seek recognition of Palestinian statehood at the United Nations in September is intensifying. Squeezed by a combination of concerted American pressure and intense Israeli diplomacy, some top Palestinian leaders are urging the Palestinian Authority's president to drop his September plan. Abbas, however, says he still intends to go ahead with the U.N. move, unless key international players can get serious peace talks going before then. » Read more

Off the record: Poisoned atmosphere in Mid-East peace efforts ATFP World Press Roundup Article from BBC News by Paul Danahar - (Opinion) June 23, 2011 - 12:00am "If you're going to crucify yourself, don't do it on a small cross." An interesting metaphor particularly when it is addressed to the prime minister of Israel. This advice, I'm told, was from US Vice President Joe Biden to Benjamin Netanyahu. It was a little while ago, but there's been no sign since of the PM wandering around the Jerusalem forest looking for tall trees. The message from his speech to the US Congress last month suggested he's not ready for self-sacrifice yet. There were no concessions to US President Barack Obama or the Palestinians. » Read more

Hezbollah may fight Israel to relieve Syria ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post (Analysis) June 22, 2011 - 12:00am Lebanon's Hezbollah militant group is preparing for a possible war with Israel to relieve perceived Western pressure to topple Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, its guardian ally, sources close to the movement say. The radical Shi'ite group, which has a powerful militia armed by Damascus and Iran, is watching the unrest in neighboring Syria with alarm and is determined to prevent the West from exploiting popular protests to bring down Assad. » Read more

Wanted: A policy on our Arab citizens ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Susan Hattis Rolef - (Opinion) June 23, 2011 - 12:00am Labor MK Avishay Braverman has initiated a private member’s bill that, if passed, will result in youngsters who do full military/ national service being paid a salary, which will be deposited in their names for academic or professional studies afterward. The salary, at differential rates depending on the type of service performed, will be paid as of the second year of service, and even at its lowest rate will be enough to pay for a full three years of tuition at one of the universities. » Read more

EU's Ashton to Haaretz: UN vote on Palestinian state not a done deal ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Akiva Eldar - June 23, 2011 - 12:00am The European Union's foreign policy chief, Catherine Ashton, says she is not sure that there will be a vote in the United Nations in September on recognition of a Palestinian state and that the wording of the resolution is still uncertain. "It will depend very much on what the resolution says as to how the international community in general and the EU in particular, votes," Ashton told Haaretz in an interview this week in her office in the EU headquarters in Brussels. » Read more

Saudis give $70m for Palestinian housing in Gaza ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Statesman June 22, 2011 - 12:00am A U.N. agency aiding Palestinian refugees said Wednesday that Saudi Arabia is contributing $70 million for new housing units in the Gaza Strip. Israel has authorized construction of the 1,200 new homes and 18 badly needed schools in Gaza, in what would be one of the largest housing projects in the seaside territory in years. Israel, which controls the cargo crossings into Gaza, has largely banned the entry of construction materials into the coastal strip since Hamas militants seized control in 2007. Israel withdrew from Gaza in 2005. » Read more