June 14th

Palestinians suffer as key post remains vacant
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Daily Star
by Mohammed Zaatari - June 14, 2011 - 12:00am

Since the retirement of the head of Political Affairs and Refugees at the Interior Ministry, the directorate has stopped all issuing of personal status documents for Palestinian refugees, making it impossible for them to enrol in university or request economic assistance. Although the former director general, Brig. Nicolas Habr, would assign a ministry official to sign documents in his name during his tenure, Habr’s retirement has created a “vacuum.”

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Feeling winds of Arab Spring, Israel douses sparks of Palestinian uprising
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Christian Science Monitor
by Joshua Mitnick - June 10, 2011 - 12:00am

As a Palestinian statehood push gains traction across the globe, Israel is facing the prospect of a broader Palestinian civil disobedience movement that could put the Jewish state on the defensive. Until now, homegrown demonstrations in the West Bank have gained little traction. A weekly protest in the village of Nabi Saleh today, for example, drew only a few dozen protesters and was quickly shut down by soldiers firing tear-gas canisters.

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Palestinians are still limited, even if they get a state of their own
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Akiva Eldar - (Opinion) June 14, 2011 - 12:00am

The mood among the Palestinian leadership in Ramallah prior to the anticipated United Nations vote in September is reminiscent of a small child who has received an adult bicycle for his birthday. The child doesn't know whether to rejoice or to cry. He's so happy with the wonderful gift, but his heart is full of fear that he'll fall flat, injure his knee and scratch the shiny bicycle.

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Palestinian Unity Effort Shows Cracks as Factions Disagree Over Choosing Leader
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times
by Fares Akram, Isabel Kershner - June 13, 2011 - 12:00am

Fatah and Hamas so far disagree on who should lead a unity government, a possible sign of discord before talks scheduled to start in Cairo on Tuesday, prompting Palestinian officials and analysts to question the durability of the recent reconciliation agreement. The Egyptian-brokered pact was reached unexpectedly and signed formally at a ceremony in Cairo on May 4. It was meant to end four years of schism between the mainstream Fatah, the dominant party in the West Bank, and the Islamic militant group Hamas, which controls Gaza, and the subsequent division between the two territories.

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Can Start-Ups Move Forward Israeli/Palestinian Peace?
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Forbes
by Peter Cohan - June 13, 2011 - 12:00am

A long-time professor of Entrepreneurship has an idea for how to move forward relations between Israelis and Palestinians. It’s a small step and who knows how it will go. The professor is Ted Grossman, who in 1993 helped invent one of the signature course at Babson College — Foundations of Management and Entrepreneurship (FME). Babson freshmen take this full-year course — in the Fall, students plan a business and in the spring they execute the plan.

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From a Saudi prince, tough talk on America’s favoritism toward Israel
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Washington Post
by Richard Cohen - (Opinion) June 14, 2011 - 12:00am

As best I can recall, I first met Saudi Arabia’s Prince Turki al-Faisal at a private home in Washington years ago. I found him stern and humorless, sometimes even bitter. I have seen him since at international conferences and the like — never in the mood for small talk and exhibiting, sometimes in his glorious robes, not an ounce of Bedouin charm. Still, I was unprepared for the opinion column he published in Sunday’s Post. It read like a declaration of war.

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June 13th

Gazans welcome Egypt’s opening of the border. 1,600 settlers infiltrate Nablus without coordinating with the PA, and clash with Israeli forces. Officials say the new PA government will be announced on June 6. Israeli soldiers reportedly severely beat a Palestinian at a checkpoint near Hebron. Reuters asks if Palestine can become a member state of the UN, and says Israeli rhetoric about “indefensible borders” is a demand for more land. Pres. Abbas says he is determined to approach the UN in September, and the Arab League says it backs the move. Israel prepares for additional possible border protests. Israeli troops arrest eight Palestinians in the West Bank. An Israeli newspaper claims Abbas met with Pres. Peres secretly for “serious” negotiations. PM Netanyahu warns Egypt is loosing control of the Sinai. Zvi Bar'el says Hamas plays into Netanyahu’s “no partner” strategy. Akiva Eldar says Pres. Obama must confront Netanyahu on peace. Netanyahu presents a controversial plan to divide the Negev. Jeff Barak says Netanyahu’s speeches and poll numbers don’t change reality. Israelis say they’re not sure Obama made progress convincing Europeans to oppose a Palestinian UN bid. JJ Goldberg says Israel is not prepared for possible diplomatic developments in September. Mouin Rabbani says Egypt may open the border but will not take primary responsibility for Gaza. The Arab News says Palestinians have no choice but to go to the UN.

Move to the UN
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Arab News
(Editorial) May 29, 2011 - 12:00am

In deciding to seek full UN membership for a Palestinian state in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, with East Jerusalem as its capital, the Arab League is announcing that the current wave of self-determination in the region needs to translate into a more independent Arab foreign policy.

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A window opens, but Egypt refuses responsibility for Gaza
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The National
by Mouin Rabbani - (Opinion) May 30, 2011 - 12:00am

The Egyptian decision to permanently reopen the Rafah border crossing does not end the blockade of the Gaza Strip, but is nevertheless a highly significant development. According to the new regulations, Rafah will operate for 12 hours, six days a week as a passenger terminal only. Men aged 18 to 40 will require permits to use the crossing and trade - the passage of goods and materials in commercial quantities - continues to be prohibited.

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As Bibi Slouches Toward September
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Forward
by J.J. Goldberg - (Opinion) May 25, 2011 - 12:00am

Benjamin Netanyahu had ample reason to congratulate himself on a job well done as he headed home from his five-day visit to Washington, D.C. He received thunderous hero’s welcomes from Congress and the pro-Israel lobby, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, which greeted him with its biggest-ever display of muscle. All this will serve him well at home. True, he had an ugly head-butt with President Obama at the White House, but this just reinforces his street cred, solidifies his coalition and dispirits his critics.

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