Palestinian minister referred to attorney general
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua
August 14, 2011 - 12:00am

A Palestinian minister was referred to the attorney general Sunday for questioning on corruption charges, a source said. The source, an official at the Palestinian National Authority's anti-corruption commission, said that the consumer protection society filed a suit against Minister of Economy, Hassan Abu Lebda, accusing him of corruption, mismanagement and receiving bribery. This is the first time that a Palestinian minister is referred to prosecution while he is still in office.

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Hamas criticises Fatah over election plan
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Alertnet
by Nidal al-Mughrabi - August 14, 2011 - 12:00am

Hamas on Sunday accused Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah movement of violating a reconciliation agreement by opening voter registration for local elections due to be held in October in the occupied West Bank. Islamist Hamas, which seized the Gaza Strip in a 2007 civil war with Fatah, has described the planned ballot as illegitimate. Fatah is the dominant party in the Palestinian Authority, which exercises limited self-rule in the West Bank.

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Palestinians gather to call for Assad departure
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency
August 15, 2011 - 12:00am

Hundreds of Palestinians streamed into the streets of Ramallah on Sunday evening to demand Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad stand down. The mass demonstration in support of the Syrian people came hours after news broke of Syrian military shelling the port city of Latakia, killing 26. Human rights groups said Palestinians living in a refugee camp in the district of Ramel were among the dead.

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ATFP Urges US Government to Help Curb Proposed Israeli Settlement Expansions
Press Release - Contact Information: Ghaith al-Omari - August 15, 2011 - 12:00am




NEWS: UNRWA says Palestinian refugees are among those being attacked by Syrian forces in Latakia, with at least two killed. Palestinians in Ramallah rally for the downfall of Pres. Assad. Rep. Hoyer says Pres. Abbas and PM Fayyad delivered mixed messages on potential Palestinian UN initiatives. FM Al-Maliki says Palestinians will apply for full UN membership. Palestinians say they are determined to win more bilateral and multilateral recognition. Abbas reportedly held for "secret meetings" with Pres. Peres. Hamas objects to PA plans for municipal elections in October. A dispute between Fatah and ousted former official Dahlan is bolstering Hamas. The Palestinian Economy Minister is referred to the Attorney General for potential prosecution. Israel announces more settlement activity. Controversy continues to haunt the Freedom Theater in Jenin. COMMENTARY: Gideon Levy says Israel's closest neighbor is its own military. Harold Zwier and Larry Stillman say Australia should support Palestinian statehood. Tariq Al Maeena says years of negotiating have not yielded anything for the Palestinians. A new book looks at nonviolent resistance to Israel's occupation. Joel Brinkley critiques the ideology of extremist settlers. Akiva Eldar says Israel may take military actions in response to a Palestinian UN initiative. Yaakov Katz says the Israeli military is prepared for whatever might happen in September.

ATFP Condemns Reported Attacks on Syrian and Palestinian Civilians in Latakia
Press Release - Contact Information: Ghaith al-Omari - August 15, 2011 - 12:00am




Preparing for the worst, hoping for the best
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post
by Yaakov Katz - (Opinion) August 15, 2011 - 12:00am

Contrary to the near-hysteric reactions in Jerusalem, defense establishment doesn't believe the world will come to an end. Far from it. What will happen on September 21? Probably not that much. It will be the day after the Palestinian Authority unilaterally declares statehood at the United Nations General Assembly, but contrary to what one might be led to believe by the near-hysteric reactions in Jerusalem, the defense establishment does not believe that the world will come to an end. Far from it.

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Israel will use Palestinian UN bid to restore status quo
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Akiva Eldar - (Opinion) August 15, 2011 - 12:00am

To be honest, what's the difference between the potential UN declaration in September 2011 and the Palestinian declaration of independence in Tunis 22 years ago? Even MK Aryeh Eldad (National Union ), the professor of the extreme right, is not particularly upset by the fact that the United Nations General Assembly may recognize a Palestinian state. He sees no legal difference between the decision that is expected next month and the decision that was made there - with a huge majority of 104 to 2 - following the Palestinian declaration of independence in Tunis 22 years ago.

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Israel's West Bank dilemma
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The San Francisco Chronicle
by Joel Brinkley - (Opinion) August 14, 2011 - 12:00am

Shaul Goldstein knows that most everyone on Earth dislikes him and his kind. For some, it's visceral hatred. For others, he represents the largest obstacle to solving a problem everyone everywhere wants resolved. "We are the enemy of the world," he volunteered without any prompting. "We have to hide behind a curtain."

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Author challenges readers to look at another side of the Middle East
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Daily Gleaner
(Opinion) August 13, 2011 - 12:00am

We don't often hear about nonviolent resistance in the Middle East, but it happens much more often than we might think. Maxine Kaufman-Lacusta has written a book on the subject called Refusing to be Enemies - Palestinian and Israeli Nonviolent Resistance to the Israeli Occupation. The hardcover came out in January 2010, but the paperback with an updated afterward arrived in North American stores sometime in March of this year. "It's based on interviews with over 100 Palestinian and Israeli nonviolent activists, and a few internationals, and also conference presentations," she says.

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