August 18th

Al-Assad: More dangerous than Israel ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Asharq Alawsat by Hussein Shobokshi - (Opinion) August 18, 2011 - 12:00am Among the notable events in the historical records of the Syrian army is the fact that one of its elements, Hosni al-Za'eim, was the orchestrator of the first military coup in the Middle East in 1949. By doing that, he opened the gates of hell in the region in general, and in Syria in particular, for the rise of despotic, hateful and corrupt faces who knew nothing but the language of oppression, autocracy and injustice. Those faces were obsessed with illusions of grandeur and supreme arrogance. » Read more

Washington Watch: Is Bibi bluffing on borders? ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Douglas Bloomfield - (Opinion) August 18, 2011 - 12:00am Leaks from unnamed aides to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu claim he has shifted positions on another critical peace process issue – borders – but so far there’s no official confirmation. It appears to be a tactical move to derail the Palestinian strategy for a UN statehood resolution next month, and it could work if the Israeli leader can convince Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas that he is serious. » Read more

As Mubarak falls, terror rises in Sinai ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Anshel Pfeffer - (Opinion) August 18, 2011 - 12:00am The series of terror attacks that took place early Thursday afternoon on the road leading from the Israeli-Egyptian border to Eilat did not come as a surprise to Israel's senior security officials. They had expected it would occur at some stage or another. » Read more

Abbas inaugurates Palestinian Embassy in Beirut ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Daily Star by Van Meguerditchian - August 18, 2011 - 12:00am Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas raised his country’s flag for the first time at an official embassy in Beirut Wednesday, as hundreds of Palestinians looked on and cheered the historic event. For decades, official ties have been carried out by the Palestine Liberation Organization and the Lebanese government. But in a government decision in 2008, Lebanon decided to establish formal diplomatic ties with Palestinians. » Read more

Former Palestinian power broker fighting for political survival ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The National by Hugh Naylor - August 18, 2011 - 12:00am Some view him as a ruthless opportunist, others a convenient scapegoat for his superiors. But one thing is certain: Mohammed Dahlan, once considered the charismatic odds-on-favourite to succeed Yasser Arafat as leader of the Palestinians, is fighting for his political life. » Read more

One man's stand against an Israeli settlement ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Independent by Matthew Kalman - August 18, 2011 - 12:00am Said Ayid was born under the British Mandate, grew up in Jordan, raised his eight children under Israeli occupation and now lives on the edge of a sprawling new Israeli neighbourhood under the token protection of the Palestinian Authority. But throughout those 73 years he has not moved an inch. Two weeks ago, the Israeli government announced the addition of 930 new units in Har Homa, the new neighbourhood built in the past decade on the adjacent hillside south of Jerusalem, occupied by Israel in the Six Day War of 1967. » Read more

Palestinian Factions Reconsider Relations with Assad ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Media Line by David Miller - August 17, 2011 - 12:00am A fierce attack by the Syrians on a Palestinian refugee camp has led Palestinian factions, both Islamist and staunchly secular, to reexamine their traditionally close ties with Damascus. Headquartered in the Syrian capital as the Bashar Al-Assad regime falters, Palestinians were cautious not to badmouth the Syrian president personally as they condemned Sunday’s naval bombardment of the Raml Palestinian refugee camp. » Read more

Assad puts Hamas in corner over Syrian assault ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews August 17, 2011 - 12:00am Syria's crackdown on government opponents has deeply embarrassed the Palestinian group Hamas, which is anxious not to anger its backers in Damascus while at the same time hoping not to alienate its supporters at home. President Bashar Assad's five-month purge of protesters has gathered pace since the start of August, causing thousands of Palestinians to flee a refugee camp in the city of Latakia this week as Syrian security forces attacked the area. » Read more

PA to soften UN statehood bid? ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Attila Somfalvi - August 17, 2011 - 12:00am The Palestinian Authority has spent the past few days trying to advance a move to soften its bid for recognition at the UN in order to gain wider support among European nations, Ynet has learned. Europe's major powers have yet to decide whether to support the Palestinians' membership bid, to which the US is opposed. Palestinian sources close to negotiations with Europe told Ynet that the PA is conducting secret talks with the European Union and the Arab League aimed at revising their proposed resolution ahead of the General Assembly meeting in September. » Read more

Cairo talks between Israel, Hamas deadlock ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Elior Levy - August 18, 2011 - 12:00am A senior Egyptian source said Thursday that the third round of indirect talks between Israel and Hamas, meant to facilitate a prisoner exchange deal which would secure the release of kidnapped IDF soldier Gilad Shalit, have deadlocked. The source, quoted by the London-based Arabic-language newspaper al-Hayat, said both sides were "digging in their heels," and that as of Thursday, no date has been set to renew the talks. "Each party is interested in getting the best deal they can. We are still far from the point of saying that the talks have matured into a deal," the source said. » Read more