ATFP Expresses Grave Concern Over Condition of Hunger Striking Palestinian Prisoners, Urges Urgent Measures to Diffuse Tensions
Press Release - Contact Information: Ghaith al-Omari - May 4, 2012 - 12:00am

  The American Task Force on Palestine (ATFP) today expressed grave concern about the health of hundreds of hunger striking Palestinian prisoners in Israeli detention, and the rapidly deteriorating condition of several of the detainees. The Task Force noted that the crisis is adding to tensions in an already volatile atmosphere on the ground in the occupied Palestinian territories, and calls for urgent measures to defuse the situation.


NEWS: Palestinians increasingly see nonviolent tactics, like hunger striking, as key to their movement. PM Fayyad says PM Netanyahu is ultimately responsible for prisoners' health. Hungers-striking prisoners appeal to Israeli courts. Israeli prison authorities say prisoners cannot consult their lawyers if they can no longer stand to meet them. Public Security Minister Aharonovitch agrees “administrative detention” should be kept to a minimum. The brother of the assassin of the late PM Rabin is released. The Israeli Navy inaugurates its 4th Dolphin class submarine. Sec. Clinton's top technology adviser tells Palestinian bloggers the US supports Internet freedom. Hamas complains the PA detained 61 of its members in the West Bank last month. An abandoned Israeli military base in the occupied West Bank becomes the latest settlement outpost. Israel removes six large roadblocks near major West Bank towns. COMMENTARY: Saliba Sarsar says Palestinian Christians are disappearing. Adrian Blomfield asks if a revolt against Pres. Abbas is brewing in the West Bank. The CSM interviews former Israeli official Yossi Beilin. Yoel Marcus says if he wins the coming Israeli election, Netanyahu will have a mandate for his policy of doing nothing. Guy Bechor says Israel's regional dominance in deep-sea waters is growing through its expanding submarine fleet. Racheli Malek-Boda says she and other settlers should realize the humanity of the Palestinians around them. Jay Bushinski says there is growing interest in Israel about a "federated state" with the West Bank, but not with Gaza. J.J. Goldberg says a recent conference demonstrated huge rifts between Israeli and Jewish-American perceptions regarding Iran. Patrick Seale says Netanyahu's attitudes are increasingly being challenged within the Israeli establishment. Ahmad Majdoubeh says Arabs and Muslims should keep visiting Jerusalem. George Hishmeh says Israeli politics are in disarray over Iran and the Palestinians.

Israel in disarray
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jordan Times
by George S. Hishmeh - (Opinion) May 3, 2012 - 12:00am


Since the criticism, last Friday, by a key secret service official of the right-wing Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and his wishy washy Labourite defence minister, Ehud Barak, the Israeli establishment appears to be in a serious state of disarray.


The road to Jerusalem
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jordan Times
by Ahmad Majdoubeh - (Opinion) May 3, 2012 - 12:00am


I, like many who sympathise with the Palestinians during these particularly hard times, was extremely disappointed and saddened by the Islamists’ condemnation of the visit to Al Aqsa Mosque and Jerusalem by the grand mufti of Egypt a couple of weeks ago. This condemnation is yet another evidence of Islamists’ shortsightedness and negative vision.


Changing course in Israel
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Gulf News
by Patrick Seale - (Opinion) May 4, 2012 - 12:00am


Israel’s hard-line Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is facing an unprecedented challenge. As Israel’s longest serving prime minister, who has been in office for more than three years, he had come to seem immovable.


Explosive Dust-Up Over Iran Policy
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jewish Daily Forward
by J.J. Goldberg - (Opinion) May 2, 2012 - 12:00am


On a sunny Sunday afternoon in late April, Israel put its raucous, divided political culture on full exhibition in New York for a day — and New York did not like what it saw.


A federated state for Israelis and Palestinians
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post
by Jay Bushinsky - (Opinion) May 3, 2012 - 12:00am


If anyone gains from the national election likely to take place in early September, it probably will be incumbent Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu. At least one major public opinion poll gives his right-wing Likud party a two-to-one edge over its closest rival, the Labor party. A reaffirmation of Netanyahu’s leadership for up to four more years will enable him to change the partisan and personal make-up of his next coalition government. In that case, the losers might include the Yisrael Beytenu party of Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman.


The Arab who saved my boy
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews
by Racheli Malek-Boda - (Opinion) May 3, 2012 - 12:00am


I remember the first time I realized that as a religious/rightist/settler I was expected to hate Arabs, or at least treat them as second-class citizens. It happened in high school, during a trip to Jerusalem. We passed through the Muslim quarter's market and I wanted to purchase a small drum. I finalized a good deal with the peddler, when suddenly one teacher called me over, and quietly whispered: "We shouldn't support the Arabs."


IDF Removes Key West Bank Roadblocks
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post
by Yaakov Katz - May 4, 2012 - 12:00am


  In an effort to improve Palestinian quality of life, the Civil Administration of Judea and Samaria removed a number of roadblocks on key roads throughout the West Bank in recent weeks.


IDF Hands Over Former West Bank Base to Israeli Settlers
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Gili Cohen - May 3, 2012 - 12:00am


  An abandoned Israel Defense Forces base in the West Bank has been handed over to the control of a nearby settlement council, Haaretz learned on Thursday.



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