It's time for Israel to talk to Hamas ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by A.B. Yehoshua - December 3, 2012 - 1:00am   During the War of Independence in 1948, the Jordanians shelled western Jerusalem for months, besieged the city and prevented water and fuel from reaching its residents. Hundreds of civilians were killed during the shelling, yet Israel did not refer to the Jordanians as terrorists, but as an enemy. Once a cease-fire was attained, Israel began open negotiations with the Jordanians, at the end of which an armistice agreement was signed. » Read more

Punitive measures hurt Israel as much as the Palestinians ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Barak Ravid - (Opinion) December 3, 2012 - 1:00am   Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's decision to move ahead on construction in the E-1 corridor linking Ma'aleh Adumim and Jerusalem could turn into another Western Wall tunnel affair. » Read more

Bibi’s new settlement homes are helping Iran ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Times of Israel by Meir Javendanfar - (Blog) December 2, 2012 - 1:00am The Iranian regime was hoping that the recent Gaza conflict between Israel and Gaza based militants would create a diplomatic crisis for Israel. » Read more

The logic of E1 ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post (Editorial) December 2, 2012 - 1:00am It can be argued that on a tactical level, our government’s reaction to the Palestinian UN bid was a mistake.The announcement of plans for 3,000 housing units in Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria less than 24 hours after the UN General Assembly vote to give “Palestine” non-member observer » Read more

The E1 plan and its implications for human rights in the West Bank ATFP World Press Roundup Article from B'Tselem (Opinion) December 2, 2012 - 1:00am   This past weekend, the media reported that Israel has decided to advance the planning of thousands of apartments in the settlement of Ma’ale Adumim, as part of the E-1 plan, in the area connecting the settlement to Jerusalem. According to media accounts, this decision was reached following the UN General Assembly’s recognition of Palestine as a state with UN observer status. » Read more

ATFP Asks US to Ensure No Israeli Building in E1 Press Release - Contact Information: Ghaith al-Omari - December 3, 2012 - 1:00am   Read more

In Gaza, surge of support for Hamas starts to fade ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Washington Post by Scott Wilson - December 30, 2012 - 1:00am JABALYA REFUGEE CAMP, Gaza Strip — Strung across chaotic streets and through mazes of yard-wide alleys, the iconic green flags of the Islamic Resistance Movement, better known as Hamas, festoon the gray acres of cement-block buildings. » Read more

World Bank to Spend $6.4 Million in Bid To Save Gaza's Water System ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Al-Monitor by Tamar Dressler - November 29, 2012 - 1:00am The World Bank is trying to help repair Gaza’s precarious water and sewage systems. Polluted water in Gaza has had an adverse effect on the health of local residents, and the situation is only getting worse. A UN report from last August maintains that the population in Gaza, which currently totals 1.64 million and is expected to increase by half a million by 2020, might lose its main water resource — the subterranean coastal aquifer. » Read more

Israeli settlers occupy 5-story house in Palestinian neighborhood of East Jerusalem ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Nir Hasson - December 3, 2012 - 1:00am Five Israeli settlers entered a five-story building in the Jabal Mukaber neighborhood of East Jerusalem early Monday morning, apparently in an effort to establish a new settlement in this Palestinian area. The building, which was erected in recent years, has remained largely empty, except for one Palestinian family living on the top floor. » Read more

Tunnels between Gaza and Egypt are back in business since cease-fire ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Washington Post by Scott Wilson - December 1, 2012 - 1:00am RAFAH, Gaza Strip — For eight days, the sounds of illegal commerce here at the ragged southern edge of the Gaza Strip were silenced by the pounding thrum of battle. » Read more