Overnight airstrike brings Gaza deaths to 12
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency
October 31, 2011 - 12:00am


GAZA CITY (Ma’an) -- Two militants were killed overnight Sunday as Israeli forces targeted the Gaza Strip, bringing the death toll in the coastal enclave to 12 since Saturday. Palestinian medical sources identified the victims as Yousif Rawhi Mahmoud Abu Abdu and Ali Abdullah al-Aqad, both from Khan Younis, south Gaza. Both victims were transferred to Nasser hospital in Khan Younis. The Al-Ansar brigades, a military wing of the Al-Ahrar movement, said in a statement that the victims were fighters in the group. They vowed to retaliate for the deaths.


Tensions high a day after Gaza violence
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Los Angeles Times
by Batsheva Sobelman - October 30, 2011 - 12:00am


Reporting from Jerusalem— The day after a series of Palestinian rocket attacks and Israeli airstrikes killed nine militants in the Gaza Strip and an Israeli civilian in southern Israel, strikes Sunday appeared to thin out, though tensions remained high. After an early-morning barrage was launched at southern Israel on Sunday, Islamic Jihad announced it would accept an Egyptian-brokered cease-fire and hold its rocket fire while reserving the right to respond to any attacks from Israel.


After Attacks, Efforts to Restore Truce Between Israel and Groups in Gaza
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times
by Isabel Kershner - October 30, 2011 - 12:00am


JERUSALEM — Cross-border tensions between Israel and Gaza simmered on Sunday as Egyptian efforts to restore an informal cease-fire began to take effect after a deadly round of Israeli airstrikes and Palestinian rocket attacks on Saturday. The Israeli military fired on what it said was a terrorist squad in southern Gaza preparing to fire rockets at Israel on Sunday afternoon. Gaza security officials said one Palestinian militant was killed and another was seriously wounded. Both, it said, were members of the armed wing of the leftist Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine.


October 28th

Ziad Asali of the American Task For on Palestine on Palestinian Activism and a Palestinian State
Interview with Ziad Asali - Radio Baladi - October 28, 2011 - 12:00am

Listen to Ray Hanania interview ATFP President, Dr. Ziad Asali on Palestinian activism and Palestinian statehood. http://rayhanania.podomatic.com/entry/2011-10-28T06_09_59-07_00


NEWS: An American-Israeli is released by Egypt, but the agreement shows brittle ties between the countries. Bosnia says it cannot come to a consensus on Palestine's UN membership application. The Palestinian envoy to the UN files an official complaint against FM Lieberman's comments about Pres. Abbas. Abbas may discuss the future of the PA with Hamas. AP looks at the changing face of Christianity in the “holy land." Fatah has officially fired Mohammed Dahlan from his final remaining party post. Ha'aretz reports that Kadima leader Livni may have undermined negotiations under PM Olmert. Two recently released Palestinian prisoners get married. A company has lost a major contract in Saudi Arabia because of its involvement in Israel's light rail project in occupied East Jerusalem. COMMENTARY: Yoel Marcus says Abbas must choose to pursue peace with Israel. Don Futterman says Israel's abuse of Bedouins shows it still cannot treat its citizens equally. Uri Savir says peace is the only way to avoid more prisoner swaps. Hirsh Goodman says Israel would be wise to avoid being an issue in the US presidential campaign. Dawoud Abu Lebdeh says the international community must support those who believe in negotiations and nonviolence as a path to peace. Zvika Krieger asks what former Sec. Rice gets right and wrong in her account of the 2007 negotiations. Alan Elsner says Palestinians will be responsible if the US withdraws from UNESCO. May Marei outlines the challenges facing Palestinian travelers. Ron Kampeas says that in spite of media reports, he can find no evidence the United States asked Israel for another settlement freeze. Tom Perry says the Quartet finds itself hopelessly deadlocked.

Alstom loses $10b Saudi railway contract
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Gulf News
by Abbas Al Lawati - (Analysis) October 28, 2011 - 12:00am


French transport giant Alstom has lost a $9.4 billion rail tender in Saudi Arabia, a move thought to be punishment for the company's involvement in Israeli expansion projects in Occupied Jerusalem. The Saudi Railway Organisation (SRO) has awarded a contract for the second phase of the Haramain rail link between the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah to, Al Shoula, a consortium of 12 Spanish companies, after facing pressure for awarding its first phase, worth $1.8 billion, to Alstom in February, 2009.


Quartet on mission impossible in Mideast logjam
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters
by Tom Perry - (Opinion) October 28, 2011 - 12:00am


Some political analysts argue it is now time for them to scale back their ambitions. With faint hope of a deal, would-be peacemakers may inevitably find themselves seeking to manage rather than resolve the generations-old conflict. The latest effort by the Middle East Quartet -- a body comprising the United States, the European Union, Russia and the United Nations -- was arguably a failure before it began.


Run silent, run cold—the silent freeze that isn’t so silent (or so real)
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA)
by Ron Kampeas - (Opinion) October 28, 2011 - 12:00am


There's a lot of reporting in Israeli media about U.S. pressure on Israel to impose a silent freeze on settlement to allow the Palestinians wiggle room to come back to the talks table. Maariv was apparently the first to report it Tuesday, it was picked up by Arutz Sheva, and soon enough there were the requisite squalls of outrage from the Israeli right. Two things: I can't find any evidence -- and I've dug in the right places -- of the United States making any such request.


Travel is a challenge in a Palestinian's life
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Daily News Egypt
by May Marei - (Opinion) October 28, 2011 - 12:00am


No words can describe how I felt, as a Palestinian, the moment I got my permit to Jerusalem from the Israeli government. I had waited seven hours in line with other Palestinians trying to get permissions for emergency visits to what is considered as an Israeli forbidden area. It’s been 12 years since my last visit to that holy amazing – as I believe – Palestinian city. The feeling of knowing that I will be in Jerusalem the next day was remarkable.


The UNESCO meltdown
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters
by Alan Elsner - (Opinion) October 28, 2011 - 12:00am


On Monday, unless the Palestinians can be persuaded to back down, the U.N. Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) will vote to accept Palestine as a full member state, triggering an automatic cutoff of U.S. funding and wreaking havoc with many of the agency’s programs. Under legislation adopted by Congress over 15 years ago, the United States is mandated to withdraw from any U.N. agency that accepts Palestine as a full member state in the absence of a peace treaty with Israel.



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