December 9th

Does Israel have no alternative to Netanyahu?
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Yoel Marcus - (Opinion) December 9, 2011 - 1:00am

The more Israel's image in the world deteriorates, the more Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is flourishing. It's hard not to notice that his hair is groomed daily and perfectly combed. The color ranges from gray to light blue, and every hair is in place. It's no coincidence that they cleared out a room in the Prime Minister's Residence that contained communications equipment and turned it into a hairdressing salon. Not only for Sara, but for Bibi too. This is not the same arrogant Bibi we recall from his first term, but a man who is playing the role of leader.

»

More rockets hit Israel after spike in violence in the Gaza Strip
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press
December 9, 2011 - 1:00am

JERUSALEM — Palestinian militants fired three rockets into Israel on Friday, the Israeli military said, hours after an airstrike against a Hamas target in Gaza killed a Palestinian civilian. The rockets landed in Israeli territory but caused no casualties, the military said. Air-raid sirens and bomb shelters have helped keep civilian casualties low in southern Israel over years of rocket fire from Gaza. The latest exchange followed several days of violence in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip.

»

Israeli Planes Attack Gaza Targets
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times
by Isabel Kershner - December 9, 2011 - 1:00am

JERUSALEM — Israel carried out more airstrikes in Gaza early Friday, killing one Palestinian, as militants fired more rockets into southern Israel. Tensions flared after an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City on Thursday killed two Palestinians whom the military described as terrorists involved in a plot to attack Israelis.

»

US 'disappointed' by new Israeli settlements
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Google News
December 8, 2011 - 1:00am

WASHINGTON — The United States expressed disappointment Thursday over Israeli settlement activity after the approval of construction of a new Jewish enclave in annexed east Jerusalem. However, the US State Department also said that it opposed a call by the Palestinians to take the issue to the UN Security Council, where Washington vetoed in February a resolution condemning Israeli settlements.

»

December 8th

News: Reports continue to suggest Hamas is trying to relocate from Damascus. Palestinians promote statehood in Christmas celebrations.Two are killed in an Israeli airstrike on Gaza. Occupation forces announce more demolitions and land seizures in Hebron. Israel approves yet more settlement housing units in occupied East Jerusalem. Palestinians ask the UN to intervene to stop settlement construction.Senior PLO officials say that by demanding elections in occupied East Jerusalem, Hamas is trying to torpedo them everywhere. Amb. Shapiro says the US expects direct Israeli-Palestinian negotiations. Israel may send a small robot to the moon. Republican presidential hopeful Newt Gingrich forms an alliance with PM Netanyahu's stalwart Sheldon Adelson. In a rare ruling, an Israeli court acquits a Palestinian man on the grounds he was tortured. Commentary: Gideon Levy says the notion of peace has vanished from Israeli discourse. Ari Shavit says Israel is losing its base in the democratic West. Barak Ravid says Israel is hibernating through the “Arab Spring.” Ilan Manor says Netanyahu is in love with the US Republican Party. Irwin Cotler says Jewish refugees from Arab states need to be acknowledged and compensated. Nathan Guttman says frank talk about Israel from administration officials is not seen by many as a deliberate affront. Michael Jansen says most Israelis aren't going to listen to US criticism. Gershon Baskin says Israel needs a "historic leader." Labib Kamhawi says Israel's leadership is reckless. Hassan Barari says Jordan has much to fear from the impasse in the peace process. Akiva Eldar says Israel is probably going to release a large group of petty criminals in the second phase of the prisoner swap.

US expects direct Israeli-Palestinian talks
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post
by Herb Keinon - December 8, 2011 - 1:00am

Both the US and the Quartet expect Israelis and Palestinians to meet in direct talks and exchange comprehensive proposals there on the issue of security and territory, US Ambassador Dan Shapiro said Thursday. Shapiro, at a press conference in Tel Aviv, said that this position has been made clear to both sides. His comments are significant because the Palestinians have said in recent days that while they have presented the Quartet with comprehensive proposals, Israel has refused to do so - casting Israel in the role of peace obstructor.

»

Abbas should change his locks before next wave of Palestinian prisoners freed
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Akiva Eldar - (Opinion) December 8, 2011 - 1:00am

In the coming days, as the next wave of Palestinian prisoners are released as part of the Gilad Shalit deal, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas ought to change the locks on his house and car. Contacts between the Egyptians and Israeli mediator David Meidan, a representative of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, have made clear that the vast majority of the 550 soon-to-be-released prisoners are car thieves and petty criminals.

»

Avoiding the regional ramifications of stalemate
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Bitterlemons
by Hassan Barari - (Opinion) December 8, 2011 - 1:00am

For Jordan, the impasse of the Israeli-Palestinian track could not be more threatening. Time and time again, King Abdullah II has stressed that the failure of a two-state solution would be detrimental to the national security of his country. For this reason, Amman has pushed both Palestinians and Israelis to get their act together and hammer out an historic deal to allay the fears of Jordanians.

»

Leadership that makes history
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Arab News
by Gershon Baskin - (Opinion) December 8, 2011 - 1:00am

Leading is not easy. Leading Israel is certainly not a simple task. It is not surprising that many leaders of Israel, maybe even most of them, have made decisions in office that go against what they preached and believed in before they sat in the prime minister’s seat. As the saying goes, “what you see from here is not what you see from there.” Real leadership is measured when one is faced with real-life situations that place diametrically opposed values and principles on the scales of decision making. Benjamin Netanyahu faced that in the Gilad Shalit case.

»

Testy relationship
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jordan Times
by Michael Jansen - (Opinion) December 8, 2011 - 1:00am

Israel has reacted angrily to tough US talk about both its regional and domestic policies, risking a fresh breach with the Obama administration which has always had a testy relationship with Israel’s right-wing regime. The first unwelcome comments came from US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta who said Israel must engage with the Palestinians by returning to the “damn” negotiating table and take steps to halt the country’s growing isolation in the region.

»


American Task Force on Palestine - 1634 Eye St. NW, Suite 725, Washington DC 20006 - Telephone: 202-262-0017