August 27th

There is no consensus regarding the Oslo Accords ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Susan Hattis Rolef - (Opinion) August 26, 2012 - 12:00am Since President Shimon Peres went public regarding his opinion that Israel should not attack Iran without fully coordinated with the US, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and others have started attacking the president for overstepping his legitimate role, and have reverted to attacking Peres for what they regard as his mistaken judgments over the years on major political issues. One of these “mistaken judgments” is the 1993 Oslo Accords. » Read more

An Israeli attack on Iran would help, not harm, Obama’s reelection ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Chemi Shalev - (Opinion) August 26, 2012 - 12:00am In many of the conspiracy theories that have been presented in recent weeks in the Israeli press concerning the possibility of an imminent Israeli attack on Iran, one theme has been constant: it would put President Barack Obama in a bind and possibly hurt his chances in the November elections as well. » Read more

Market stalls turn into prime real estate in fight between Jews, Palestinians over Hebron ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Associated Press by Mohammed Daraghmeh, Nasser Shiyoukhi - August 26, 2012 - 12:00am Four stalls in a trash-filled, abandoned outdoor market have turned into hotly contested real estate in the center of biblical Hebron where several hundred ultranationalist Jewish settlers are wrestling with Palestinian residents for control, house by house and storefront by storefront. The stalls’ Palestinian tenants want Israel’s Supreme Court to evict settlers who seized the properties a decade ago, but some in Israel’s pro-settler government believe the small shops should remain in Jewish hands. » Read more

Former Israeli soldiers disclose routine mistreatment of Palestinian children ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Guardian by Harriet Sherwood - August 26, 2012 - 12:00am More than 30 former Israeli soldiers have disclosed their experiences of the treatment of Palestinian children during military operations and arrests, pointing to a pattern of abuse. A booklet of testimonies, published by Breaking the Silence, an organisation of former Israeli soldiers dedicated to publicising the day-to-day actions of the army in the occupied territories, contains descriptions of beatings, intimidation, humiliation, verbal abuse, night-time arrests and injury. Most of the children had been suspected of stone-throwing. » Read more

C'tee okays PM portfolio changes amid war rumors ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post August 27, 2012 - 12:00am A special committee has given its initial approval for Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu to make changes to his foreign and domestic investment portfolio, amid increased speculation in recent weeks that Israel is considering a strike against Iran's nuclear facilities, a move that would certainly send shockwaves throughout the global economy. » Read more

Israel, U.S. divided over latest IAEA report on Iran ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Barak Ravid - August 26, 2012 - 12:00am Israel and the United States are split over the significance of a new International Atomic Energy Agency report expected to accuse Iran of installing hundreds of new centrifuges at its underground enrichment facility near Qom. Israel believes that the IAEA report, due to be published this week, backs up claims that Tehran has accelerated its nuclear project. The White House, however, insists that the findings do nothing to alter the working assumption that there is still time to resolve the crisis diplomatically. » Read more

Sources: PA Attorney General resigns ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency August 27, 2012 - 12:00am Palestinian Authority Attorney-General Ahmad al-Mughni resigned his position on Saturday morning, informed sources told Ma'an. The sources said al-Mughni handed in his notice after meeting with a former US State Attorney in Ramallah, without elaborating on the content of the meeting. Al-Mughni could not be reached for confirmation. Earlier this year, Ma'an revealed the attorney-general was forcing private Internet companies to block access to websites loyal to ousted Fatah leader Muhammad Dahlan. » Read more

Official: Qatar to open office to oversee Gaza reconstruction ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency August 24, 2012 - 12:00am Qatar will open an office in Gaza to oversee its reconstruction projects in the enclave, an official in Gaza said Friday. Minister of Public Works and Housing Yousif al-Mansi said a Qatari delegation had agreed to start the first phase of a $224 million project during a visit to Gaza in June. "We're waiting for the delegation to come back in the next week or two to open a Qatari office in Gaza to start signing contracts and start the reconstruction projects," al-Mansi told Ma'an. » Read more

Report: Fayyad seeks advice from Bank of Israel governor ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency August 27, 2012 - 12:00am Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Salam Fayyad met with the Governor of the Bank of Israel Stanley Fischer last Friday in Jerusalem, Israeli media reported on Monday. Hebrew-language news site Maariv said that the meeting came at Fayyad’s request, and he was seeking advice on future economic steps. The officials, who worked together at the International Monetary Fund in the 1990s, met at the American Colony Hotel in East Jerusalem, the report said. Fischer’s office confirmed that he met with Fayyad, but they gave no further details. » Read more

Israel closes key Jerusalem checkpoint, limiting Palestinian residents' access ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Oz Rosenberg - August 27, 2012 - 12:00am The Defense Ministry is planning to seal up the Ras Khamis checkpoint, one of the only two exits into Israel for the 65,000 Palestinian residents of the Shoafat refugee camp in northeast Jerusalem. The Palestinian, who are considered residents of Jerusalem, can now enter Israel only through the Shoafat central checkpoint, severely limiting their access to the city. » Read more