May 13th

Fayyad to Haaretz: Palestinians are prepared for statehood ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Avi Issacharoff - May 13, 2011 - 12:00am Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad said yesterday the Palestinians have created all the conditions for establishing a Palestinian state. “The mission has been accomplished,” Fayyad said in an interview to Haaretz in Ramallah yesterday. » Read more

Hamas, Fatah agree to hold simultaneous municipal polls ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua May 12, 2011 - 12:00am Hamas and Fatah decided to hold municipal elections in the Palestinian territories after agreeing on postponing their date, a Palestinian official said Thursday. This decision came after the two movements suddenly reached an initial agreement for reconciliation in Cairo earlier this month. Azzam Al-Ahmad, a Fatah official, said that his movement and Hamas agreed to demand the upcoming technocratic government, which they will form according to the Cairo agreement, to postpone the elections so they are held simultaneously in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. » Read more

Israeli PM's speech in U.S. will not offer concessions: Likud sources ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua May 12, 2011 - 12:00am Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's address to a joint session of the United States Congress later this month will not include Israeli concessions to the Palestinians, local news website Ynet reported Thursday. The report quoted anonymous Likud Party sources "close to Netanyahu" as saying that the premier, who is scheduled to give the speech on May 24, will announce that Israel is not willing to withdraw from the West Bank territory, nor offer any other concessions. » Read more

Palestinians demonstrate for refugees' right to return ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua by Saud Abu Ramadan, Emad Drimly - May 12, 2011 - 12:00am The West Bank and the Gaza Strip on Thursday witnessed demonstrations calling for the Palestinian refugees' right of return to their home as the Palestinians are to mark their 63th Nakba day on Sunday. Nakba day, or "catastrophe day" in Arabic, is an annual Palestinian event to commemorate the creation of Israel in 1948. » Read more

US Christian group warns Palestinians of apocalypse ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency May 12, 2011 - 12:00am At least half a dozen billboards recently went up across the West Bank warning Palestinians of an impending judgment day, slated according to the signs, for May 21. At the entrance to Birzeit, and several roads leading into the West Bank cities of Ramallah and Jericho, the signs -- some in English, some in Arabic -- advise travelers to "cry unto God" and are directed to the website of the US-based religious group. » Read more

US Christian group warns Palestinians of apocalypse ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency May 12, 2011 - 12:00am At least half a dozen billboards recently went up across the West Bank warning Palestinians of an impending judgment day, slated according to the signs, for May 21. At the entrance to Birzeit, and several roads leading into the West Bank cities of Ramallah and Jericho, the signs -- some in English, some in Arabic -- advise travelers to "cry unto God" and are directed to the website of the US-based religious group. » Read more

Palestinian population grew 8-fold since 1948 ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency May 12, 2011 - 12:00am As Palestinians prepare to mark Nakba Day, statisticians released figures Thursday showing the world-wide Palestinian population is eight times that of 1948, the period commemorated Sunday. The Nakba, or catastrophe, refers to fighting which saw an estimated 700,000 Palestinians were expelled from or fled their homes in fighting that would lead to the establishment of the state of Israel. » Read more

Salary crisis to be resolved soon, Fayyad says ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency May 12, 2011 - 12:00am Prime Minister in Ramallah Salam Fayyad said Thursday that Israel was trying to break the will of the Palestinian people by seizing their tax revenues through an "act of piracy." The Palestinian Authority is trying to regain the revenues frozen by Israel in response to the Palestinian unity agreement, Fayyad said during a visit to a refugee camp in Bethlehem. "The will of people will not be broken; they are determined to gain their freedom and independence by September," he said. "Suspending their tax revenues is simply an act of desperation.” » Read more

Israeli-Palestinian sports talks progress at IOC ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press May 12, 2011 - 12:00am Israeli and Palestinian Olympic officials stepped up efforts to improve cooperation during a second round of talks with the IOC on Thursday. With free movement for athletes and coaches high on the agenda, Israeli officials promised to present their government a Palestinian proposal to help overcome travel restrictions imposed on their territories. International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge described the follow-up talks to a January summit as "frank and friendly." » Read more

Rasmala, Palestine Investment Start $15 Million Fund ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Bloomberg by Fadwa Hodali - May 12, 2011 - 12:00am Rasmala Investment Bank Ltd. started an equity fund to increase investor interest in the Palestinian territories with a $15 million investment from the Palestine Investment Fund. The overall size of the fund may reach $100 million in the next three years, Dubai-based Rasmala said yesterday in an e- mailed statement. The fund is seeking more money from local and foreign investors, the statement said. The “Palestinian market is very attractive in terms of its growth and return potential,” Eric Swats, head of asset management at Rasmala, told reporters in Ramallah yesterday. » Read more