BDS, the boycott law and Israel's democracy ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Bitterlemons by Naomi Chazan - (Opinion) July 21, 2011 - 12:00am July 11, 2011 was a watershed in Israel's political history. The adoption by the Knesset of "The Law to Prevent Harm to the State of Israel via Boycott" (generally known as the boycott law), makes it a compensable civil wrong to publicly encourage a boycott against the state of Israel, its institutions or any territory under its rule. » Read more

PA reduces price of bread to counter economy crisis ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency July 21, 2011 - 12:00am RAMALLAH (Ma’an) – The Palestinian Authority ministry of national economy decided to lower bread prices from 4 to 3.5 shekels per kilo (10 slices). The decision goes into effect Saturday. Economy minister Hasan Abu Libdah announced the decision Wednesday at a news conference in Ramallah. He said the ministry would introduce a series of procedures during Ramadan to cope with the dire economic conditions. There will be monthly updates on the price, according to the production costs. » Read more

Seeking signs of health ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Bitterlemons by Samah Jaber - (Opinion) July 21, 2011 - 12:00am For those who lament the Palestinians' use of violence and sigh, saying, "Where is the Palestinian Gandhi?" here is the answer: Israel delegitimizes all tools of resistance. Most recently, the Israeli parliament passed legislation making it possible to punish any public call for economic, cultural or academic boycott of the Israeli occupation and its settlements. » Read more

What Obama needs to do ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jordan Times by George S. Hishmeh - (Opinion) July 22, 2011 - 12:00am These are not the best of times for Americans, especially their leaders in government, President Barack Obama and Congress, in view of the bad state of the economy (i.e., the federal debt) and foreign policy, particularly towards the Arab world. Many here and there are pointing a finger at the president, or as one headline pointed out, “the too-quiet president”. An unidentified Republican, who expects Obama to win a second term in office next year, asked much-respected Washington Post columnist David Ignatius: “Why does he so often seem to react rather than lead?” » Read more

The Incoherence of the Slogans ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Dar Al-Hayat by Hassan Haidar - (Opinion) July 21, 2011 - 12:00am Is it recognition of the Palestinian state or recognition of Israel? » Read more

Settlers start fires across the West Bank ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency July 22, 2011 - 12:00am BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) -- Palestinian firefighters have been battling blazes across the West Bank as Israeli settlers set fire to land in multiple locations on Thursday night. Reports earlier on Friday said that settlers had torched agricultural fields near the village of Burin in the West Bank city of Nablus. “Some settlers from the Yizhar settlement adjacent to the village set fire to the area south of the village and fled the scene,” Head of Burin village council Ali Ead told Ma'an. Hundreds of residents in the village arrived at the scene and helped extinguish the fire. » Read more

Demography as Destiny: Israel's Growing Right Shapes Law, Military ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jewish Daily Forward by J.J. Goldberg - (Blog) July 21, 2011 - 12:00am The increasingly progressive Atlantic Monthly correspondent and former Forward staffer Jeffrey Goldberg (for the last time, no, we’re not the same person) posted a link on his blog Tuesday to an online essay — which he called “hard to disagree with” — by senior research fellow Hussein Ibish of the American Task Force on Palestine. Here’s the excerpt Goldberg posted on his blog: » Read more

Election season underway ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Nahum Barnea - (Editorial) July 21, 2011 - 12:00am Some politicians talk about elections next fall, on the eve of the US elections: these are the optimists. And there are others, who talk about elections sooner, in the spring. One way or another, the election year is underway. » Read more

The Israeli right fears for the dream ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Bradley Burston - (Opinion) July 21, 2011 - 12:00am How could it happen that the seemingly unstoppable momentum of a hard-line majority government would split the right, and, in the process, break the hearts of icons of the ruling Likud? And how does it happen that what began as a debate about McCarthyism in Israel, turned into a Soviet-style show trial, complete with verdicts handed down in advance, manipulative visual aids, dubious parliamentary procedure, playing to a captive media, and Politburo-worthy redefinitions of democratic values and practice, all on the Knesset floor? » Read more

ISRAEL: Benjamin Netanyahu's first interview on Arab network ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Los Angeles Times by Batsheva Sobelman - July 21, 2011 - 12:00am "Everything is on the table; we just need to get to the table," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Al Arabiya TV in an exclusive interview airing Thursday evening. According to advance excerpts from the 30-minute interview, the Israeli leader answered questions on a wide range of issues, including the peace process and regional regime changes. It was Netanyahu's first appearance on an Arab television outlet. Why now?... » Read more