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Dubai's Rasmala Investment Bank starts Palestinian fund
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The National by Farah Halime - June 17, 2011 - 12:00am Rasmala Investment Bankis the latest financial institution to launch a Palestinian-focused fund even as it is cutting costs elsewhere as part of a debt restructuring programme it announced in November. The bank, based in Dubai, is hoping to raise US$115 million (Dh422.3m) for the fund, which will target stocks listed on the Palestine Stock Exchange. |
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Netanyahu is dooming Israel to live eternally by the sword
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz (Editorial) June 17, 2011 - 12:00am Author Etgar Keret, on assignment from Haaretz, accompanied the prime minister on his trip to Italy this week and reported on Benjamin Netanyahu's perceptions of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. "This is an insoluble conflict because it is not about territory," Netanyahu said. "It is not that you can give up a kilometer more and solve it. The root of the conflict is in an entirely different place. Until Abu Mazen [Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas] recognizes Israel as a Jewish state, there will be no way to reach an agreement." |
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Netanyahu's "insoluble" conflict
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Americans For Peace Now by Ori Nir - (Opinion) June 15, 2011 - 12:00am If you want to understand why the Obama administration is so angry with Binyamin Netanyahu and his government, read what Netanyahu told Etgar Keret, one of Israel's leading young authors. Keret spoke with Netanyahu on a recent trip to Italy. He was reporting for Haaretz, the Israeli daily, which once a year hires Israel's leading authors and poets to serve as reporters. |
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Palestinian Strategy and the UN
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Miftah by Jerome M. Segal - (Opinion) June 16, 2011 - 12:00am Many questions have arisen about the wisdom of seeking United Nations recognition of the State of Palestine in September. In particular, two issues stand out: 1) Once recognition is obtained from the United Nations General Assembly, then what? Is there a step-2? 2) Is there really any long-term alternative to negotiations, given that without Israeli agreement issues such as Jerusalem and refugees cannot be resolved? Will a UN strategy lead to productive negotiations at some point in the future, or will it make resolution more difficult? |
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Benjamin Netanyahu: Why the U.S. Can’t Make Peace in the Middle East
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New Republic by William Galston - (Opinion) June 16, 2011 - 12:00am I’ve spent the past week in Israel listening to as many voices as I could. Based on what I’ve heard, a rough summary of the situation is this: Benjamin Netanyahu offers no viable alternative to the status quo, and the opposition offers no viable alternative to Netanyahu. Until Mahmoud Abbas recognizes Israel as a Jewish state, the prime minister says, serious talks are impossible. And besides, negotiating with a coalition that includes Hamas is unthinkable. |
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Abbas Has No Mandate
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Hudson New York by Khaled Abu Toameh - (Opinion) June 14, 2011 - 12:00am It is time that someone in Washington started asking Abbas whether he has a clear mandate from his people to make historic decisions, including signing a peace agreement with Israel. As the Palestinian Authority continues to threaten to ask the United Nations in September to recognize a Palestinian state along the pre-1967 lines, someone needs to ask President Mahmoud Abbas whether he really has a mandate from his people to embark on such a step. |
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Opposition: Netanyahu isolated Israel
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews June 15, 2011 - 12:00am The Opposition took aim at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Wednesday during a special hearing on "The Netanyahu government's failure in the political, economic, and social fields". "You have isolated the State of Israel," said MK Dalia Itzik (Kadima). "You and your government sit in shocking idleness while the Arab states conduct a de-legitimization campaign. Your answer to that: They hate us." |
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Ex-Mossad man a fit for Sharon's shoes
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Asia Times by Victor Kotsov - (Opinion) June 17, 2011 - 12:00am A new star is about to rise on the Israeli political horizon. Given the widely perceived impasse on all fronts, the time may be just right. Analysts have long lamented what they call a "deadlock" in the Israeli political system. Last year, American think-tank Stratfor described the situation in the following way: |
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U.S. official: Cutting U.N. funds harms Israel, U.S. interests
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA) June 15, 2011 - 12:00am A top U.S. official outlined U.S.-Israel cooperation at the United Nations and argued that cutting funding to the body would be detrimental to the interests of both countries. |