NEWS: The US and Israel say they are working on a new framework for negotiations. Israel bombs targets in the Gaza Strip. An Israeli museum in Jerusalem highlights work by artists from the Islamic world. Settlers are issued restraining orders to prevent planned attacks on Palestinians. Palestinian officials say mass protests are planned to coincide with a possible UN initiative in September. Occupation authorities worry about possible Palestinian use of arson. Palestinian police establish a radio station. The EU says it's contributing €22.5 million to help the PA pay salaries. Israel’s supreme court orders the dismantling of the largest settlement outpost. The UN says occupation zoning policies are driving Palestinians out of “Area C.” COMMENTARY: Gershon Baskin says Israel’s economic health depends on peace with its neighbors. Ben White says the Israeli left needs to wake up. Daniel Seidemann says the two-state solution is hanging on by its fingertips in Jerusalem. Mousa Qous says Israel takes a settler mentality in Jerusalem. The Daily Telegraph says PM Netanyahu is offering nothing new. Amos Oz says fanaticism is the underlying problem. Bloomberg looks at Middle Eastern commentary on possible Palestinian UN initiatives. Lara Friedman says Israeli protests highlight the costs of the occupation. Bradley Burston says the protests leave Netanyahu with only pursuing peace

U.N.: Zoning laws driving Palestinians out
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from United Press International (UPI)
August 1, 2011 - 12:00am


RAMALLAH, West Bank, Aug. 1 (UPI) -- Restrictive zoning and planning rules by Israel are forcing Palestinians out of an area in the West Bank, a U.N. report released Monday indicated. The report said factors forcing Palestinians from "Area C" include difficulty in obtaining building permits, construction of a barrier, home demolitions and difficulty in accessing services such as schools and water, among other things, the United Nations said in a release.


Middle East peace process: Netanyahu offers much and nothing
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Telegraph
by Anthony Billingsley - (Blog) August 2, 2011 - 12:00am


Israel's Prime Minister, Benyamin Netanyahu, is reported to have offered to resume negotiations with the Palestinians to address the borders between Israel and a future Palestinian state. These negotiations would be based on the borders that existed before the 1967 Arab-Israeli war. According to media reports, Netanyahu would be willing to consider a formula on borders "that would be difficult for Israel to accept".


Israel's Supreme Court orders state to dismantle largest West Bank outpost
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Chaim Levinson - August 2, 2011 - 12:00am


Israel's Supreme Court on Tuesday issued an unprecedented ruling ordering the state to dismantle the largest illegal settlement outpost in the West Bank by April 2012. The decision follows a petition filed by Peace Now movement. Supreme Court President Dorit Beinisch harshly criticized the Israeli government for failing to dismantle the outpost of Migron, which is home to some 50 families, despite earlier promises it would do so and after it had admitted that it was in fact built on lands belonging to Palestinians.


Amos Oz on Fanatics
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from J-Wire
by Henry Benjamin - (Opinion) August 2, 2011 - 12:00am


Distinguised Israeli author Amos Oz delivered the Ervin Graf Oration in Sydney last night. Under the auspices of the Shalom Institute, the city’s Sofitel Wentworth Hotel’s function room was filled to capacity to hear the gifted wordsmith speak on the subject of fanatics with the inevitable focus on the Middle East. Michael Graf, the son of the late Ervin Graf opened proceedings speaking about his late father’s love of education. Shalom director Dr Hilton Immerman outlined some of the projects currently undertaken by the Institute.


EU contributes €22.5 million to pay PA salaries
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency
August 2, 2011 - 12:00am


BETHLEHEM (Ma'an) -- The European Union announced Tuesday that it would contribute €22.5 million to help the Palestinian Authority pay July salaries and pensions for around 83,000 Palestinian public service workers and pensioners. The EU announced that the money would be channeled through PEGASE, the European mechanism for support to the Palestinians, a statement said. "This is a clear message of our solid commitment toward the Palestinian people at this critical time" said Christian Berger, the EU representative.


Debating a UN Debate on a Palestinian State: Noe and Raad
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Bloomberg
by Nicholas Noe, Walid Raad - (Opinion) August 1, 2011 - 12:00am


Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’s plan to take a statehood bid to the United Nations in September has triggered a robust media debate over the wisdom of the move.


Israel's settler mentality continues to prevail over Jerusalem
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Bitterlemons
by Mousa Qous - (Blog) August 2, 2011 - 12:00am


No doubt Jerusalem could be the key to peace in the Middle East, if Israel--the occupying power--cedes East Jerusalem to enable the Palestinians to establish the capital of their future state. Instead, the opposite is taking place. To consolidate its grip over Jerusalem, the Israeli government continues with its settlement activities in the middle of Arab Palestinian neighborhoods in East Jerusalem. These create new facts on the ground that make any future withdrawal almost impossible.


Palestinian Police Taking to the Air
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Media Line
by Arieh O'Sullivan - August 1, 2011 - 12:00am


The idea of turning to the police to hear the news, catch some of the latest tunes and vent some frustration to a talk show host seems a bit odd, but Palestinians will soon be able to do this with a new radio station being set up by the local police force in the West Bank. The Palestinian Civil Police said they plan to model their new station on the popular ones run by the neighboring Israeli and Jordanian armies. With financial support already pledged from Turkey, senior commanders say they hope to be on air by the end of the year.


Holding on by our fingernails
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Bitterlemons
by Daniel Seidemann - (Blog) August 2, 2011 - 12:00am


No two-state solution is possible unless an agreement can be implemented that satisfies both Israeli and Palestinian requirements in Jerusalem. Today, such an agreement in Jerusalem is still possible, but barely.



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