NEWS: Egypt reportedly brokers a cease-fire between Hamas and Israel, as two more Palestinians are killed under Israeli fire. Israel is considering settling nomadic Bedouins on a landfill. Israel says “all options” are on the table if Western talks with Iran fail. Some Palestinian refugees still dream of returning home after 64 years. The PA fines date dealers for selling settlement products. A new report finds that only 6 percent of public sector employees in Israel are Palestinian citizens of the country. Deputy PM Mofaz says he thinks there's a good chance negotiations with Palestinians will resume soon, and the Obama administration is also reportedly working on renewed talks. Hamas publicly celebrates what it hopes is the victory of the Muslim Brotherhood candidate in the Egyptian presidential election. Palestinians are reportedly interested in a new Israeli technology combining solar and wind generated power. A UN expert criticizes censorship by Israel, the PA and Hamas. Palestinians are seeking to attract more Muslim visitors to the al-Aqsa Mosque. Palestinian refugees in Lebanon work to contain the fallout from recent deadly clashes with the Lebanese military. COMMENTARY: The Washington Post interviews DM Barak and Pres. Peres. Gideon Levy says Hamas and the Israeli government are behaving like kindergartners. Khaled Diab says both principle and pragmatism call for an end to the Gaza blockade. The Forward says the Olympics should honor slain Israeli athletes. Danny Rubinstein looks at the future of the Palestinian high-tech sector. Moriel Rothman looks at the logic behind Israel's planned destruction of a Palestinian village near Hebron.

Palestinians, Army try to contain fallout of clashes
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Daily Star
by Mohammed Zaatari - June 21, 2012 - 12:00am

SIDON, Lebanon: As calm returned to the Ain al-Hilweh and Nahr al-Bared refugee camps, Palestinian factions across Lebanon worked to contain the repercussions of two days of clashes between residents and the Lebanese Army. In a letter to residents of refugee camps in Lebanon, Maj. Gen, Sobhi Abu Arab, the head of the Palestinian National Security Forces in Lebanon, said there is daily contact between Palestinian leaders in Lebanon and the Lebanese Army command.

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A Palestinian plan to attract Muslims back to Al-Aqsa
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters
by Tom Heneghan - June 21, 2012 - 12:00am

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - The grand mosques in Mecca and Medina, the two holiest in Islam, draw millions of pilgrims annually. Al-Aqsa, the last of the three sacred sites the Prophet Mohammad urged Muslims to visit, sees only a few thousand foreign worshippers a year. The difference is political, not religious. The first two mosques are in Saudi Arabia, a proudly Muslim kingdom, while Al-Aqsa stands on Israeli-controlled land that may be the most disputed religious spot on earth.

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UN expert slams censorship by Israel, Palestinians
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from CBS News
June 20, 2012 - 12:00am

GENEVA — The government of Israel, the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank and Hamas in Gaza are all unduly limiting free speech through restrictive laws, intimidation and censorship, a U.N. human rights expert said Tuesday. The global body's independent investigator on freedom of expression, Frank La Rue, said the measures have had a chilling effect on the work of journalists and peaceful activists, and urged Israel and the Palestinians to uphold international standards on free speech.

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New Solar, Wind Energy Combo Promising for Israel and Palestine
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'ariv
by Yael Darel - June 19, 2012 - 12:00am

A new Israeli adaptation that integrates solar energy with wind energy is arousing interest in the Palestinian Authority — precisely in places where connection to electrical infrastructure is inadequate. The “solar turbine,” developed by the Shahar Energy Company, will be on display for the first time at the Clean Tech exhibition being organized by the Mashov Company, which will take place at the beginning of July in the Tel Aviv Exhibition Grounds.

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Hamas-Controlled Gaza Celebrates Morsi Victory with Little Hope
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Media Line
by Omar Ghraieb - June 20, 2012 - 12:00am

Loud speakers attached to mosques across the Gaza Strip rang out with happiness news of Muslim Brotherhood candidate Mohammad Morsi’s victory in Egypt’s presidential run-off election. Gazans appeared to be elated as word of the victory by the Brotherhood’s Freedom and Justice Party standard-bearer spread throughout Gaza. 

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Obama administration keeps Israeli, Palestinian wheels spinning, hopes for traction on peace
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Associated Press
June 20, 2012 - 12:00am

WASHINGTON — The Obama administration is accelerating diplomatic efforts to get Israel and the Palestinians back to peace talks although there is little evidence the two sides are ready to resume direct negotiations.

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Why Susya is "Illegal"
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Daily Beast
by Moriel Rothman - (Opinion) June 20, 2012 - 12:00am

Israel plans to demolish the entire village of Susya.  Defending the proposed demolition, the "Defense/Security" section of the settler news site Arutz Sheva (they file anything relating to Arabs under "defense" or "security") calls Susya an "illegal Arab outpost in the southern Hevron Hills." Their arguments are lousy and typical apologetics for Israel’s unjust land policies in the West Bank. 

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Mofaz: Peace talks with PA soon to be renewed
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post
June 21, 2012 - 12:00am

Vice Premier Shaul Mofaz said Thursday morning that he believed Israeli-Palestinian peace talks would be renewed soon without preconditions. Speaking to Israel Radio from Washington, Mofaz said that "I believe that there is an opportunity to restart negotiations. I have a firm basis for believing this will happen in the near future."

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Can the Palestinian Tech-Industry Catch Up to Its Neighbors?
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Calcalist
by Danny Rubenstein - (Opinion) June 19, 2012 - 12:00am

The name of the Arab portal “Maktoob” is well-known in Palestinian high-tech centers in Ramallah. Two Jordanian entrepreneurs, both from families of Palestinian origin, sold Maktoob two years ago to search engine giant Yahoo for $150 million. Maktoob is the biggest portal in the Arab world. It sees some 17 million surfers every month, and it includes news, computerized services, telecommunications and various technologies.

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