January 23rd, 2012

The Masada complex ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Jamie Levin - (Opinion) January 22, 2012 - 1:00am In 1927, poet Yitzhak Lamdan wrote Masada, a poem glorifying the heroism and self-reliance of the early Zionist movement. The poem helped transform the remote hilltop fortress, largely forgotten since the writings of the Roman-Jewish historian Josephus, into an enduring symbol of the young State of Israel. Lamdan’s most famous line, “never again shall Masada fall,” became a rallying cry for a generation of Israeli soldiers who repeated these words in countless inauguration ceremonies. » Read more

Into an Unsettled New Year ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Inter Press Service (IPS) by Mya Guarnieri - (Opinion) January 22, 2012 - 1:00am HEBRON, Jan 22, 2012 (IPS) - An elderly Palestinian woman spent last week on hunger strike to protest violent attacks by Israeli settlers. Hana Abu Heikel went on the hunger strike on behalf of her family after settlers burned the family car during the previous weekend. Since Israeli settlers moved into the houses surrounding the Abu Heikel family home in Hebron in 1984, the Abu Heikels have seen eight cars burned. Six vehicles were also smashed by settlers. » Read more

Why Israel needs blockbusters ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Arab News by Uri Avnery - (Opinion) January 23, 2012 - 1:00am Israel has no foreign policy, only a domestic policy,” Henry Kissinger once remarked. This has probably been more or less true of every country since the advent of democracy. Yet in Israel, this seems even truer. In order to understand our foreign policy, we have to look in the mirror. Who are we? What is our society like? In every immigrant country, from the United States to Australia, every new wave of immigrants is greeted by the scorn, contempt and even open hostility of those who came before them. » Read more

Why negotiations are encouraged ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jordan Times by Musa Keilani - (Opinion) January 22, 2012 - 1:00am His Majesty King Abdullah’s meeting at the White House with US President Barack Obama was one of the warmest summits between the two leaders and reaffirmed their close relationship. The focus of the meeting was largely the quest for Israeli-Palestinian peace, which has been revived with Jordan’s initiative that brought together negotiators from the two sides for three meetings in Amman. While there was no breakthrough following the meetings, the two sides now appear to better understand each other’s position. » Read more

Meshaal's move raises doubt on Palestinian unity ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The National (Editorial) January 23, 2012 - 1:00am Three months after securing a historic prisoner-exchange deal with Israel, Hamas's political leader Khaled Meshaal has said that he will not stand for re-election this summer. The decision comes at a critical time for Hamas as it re-evaluates its relations with sponsors Syria and Iran. And the single greatest issue is the reconciliation process with Fatah. » Read more

The French water report ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Susan Hattis Rolef - (Opinion) January 22, 2012 - 1:00am On December 13 the Foreign Affairs Committee of the French National Assembly published a monumental, 320-page report on the geopolitics of water, penned by Socialist Member of the National Assembly Jean Glavany. The report dealt with two current international water conflicts: a conflict between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan over the Aral Sea Basin in Central Asia, and the case of the Jordan River Basin, involving Israel, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and the West Bank. In the case of the Jordan River Basin, most of the emphasis is on Israeli-Palestinian relations. » Read more

Israel's legal 'abuse' of Arab minority is undemocratic ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Oudeh Basharat - (Opinion) January 23, 2012 - 1:00am It is difficult to compare the democratic State of Israel to a dark dictatorship. Nevertheless, they have one thing in common: People don't sleep well at night under either regime. In dictatorships, they fear a revolution on the part of the majority, and in Israeli democracy they do not stop studying the graphs of the birth rate among Arabs, in case the demographic balance is upset. » Read more

Paper Owner Apologizes for Obama 'Hit' Column ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jewish Daily Forward by Nathan Guttman - January 20, 2012 - 1:00am The owner of an Atlanta Jewish newspaper has apologized for a column in which he discusses the possibility of Israel ordering the assassination of President Obama. The Secret Service says it is investigating and a parade of Jewish leaders quickly moved to denounce Andrew Adler, publisher and owner of the Atlanta Jewish Times. » Read more

Gaza builders lead economic recovery – with some help from the black market ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Guardian by Harriet Sherwood - January 21, 2012 - 1:00am For three years, Wael Arabeed did not do a day's work. He delved deep into his life savings, accrued over 25 years of working on construction projects in Saudi Arabia, Syria and Egypt, to feed his family. He sold his car. He began to believe his working life was over. But now the construction engineer has more work than he can handle. Tossing yet another tender request on to his desk, he says: "I have so many offers, I can't even look at them. I'm too busy." » Read more

The Palestinian children – alone and bewildered – in Israel's Al Jalame jail ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Guardian by Harriet Sherwood - January 22, 2012 - 1:00am The room is barely wider than the thin, dirty mattress that covers the floor. Behind a low concrete wall is a squat toilet, the stench from which has no escape in the windowless room. The rough concrete walls deter idle leaning; the constant overhead light inhibits sleep. The delivery of food through a low slit in the door is the only way of marking time, dividing day from night. » Read more