January 12th, 2012

EU on Verge of Abandoning All Hope for a Viable Palestinian State ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Independent by Donald MacIntyre - (Editorial) January 12, 2012 - 1:00am The Palestinian presence in the largest part of the occupied West Bank – has been, "continuously undermined" by Israel in ways that are "closing the window" on a two-state solution, according to an internal EU report seen by The Independent. » Read more

Do Discard the "Resistance Axis" Hoax ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Daily Star by Michael Young - (Opinion) January 12, 2012 - 1:00am This past week several British parliamentarians were in Beirut to learn more about the situation in Lebanon and Syria. They met with politicians, academics and journalists, and an argument they took home with them was particularly intriguing. It pertains to what has become known in the West as the “resistance axis.” » Read more

Ayoon Wa Azan (A Palestinian State is Attainable After 2013) ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Dar Al-Hayat by Jihad El-Khazen - (Opinion) January 11, 2012 - 1:00am American policies, both domestic and foreign, are a hostage of the U.S. elections, a stand-alone American industry much like the auto and hi-tech industries. Presidential elections are held every four years, along with elections for the House and a third of the Senate’s seats (in addition to local elections of every kind in the states). Then the winner in the presidential elections in November would have barely entered the White House in January, when he has to begin preparing for the U.S. » Read more

Israel Must Stop Stalling on Peace Process ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz (Editorial) January 12, 2012 - 1:00am Just as with previous efforts to advance negotiations on a final-status agreement, the Jordanian attempt to breath new life into the diplomatic process has gotten hung up on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's policy of dragging his feet. As Barak Ravid reported in yesterday's Haaretz in Hebrew, at this week's meeting in Amman with chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat, Israeli envoy Isaac Molho refused to present Israel's positions on borders and security. » Read more

Hamas Members to Reside in Jordan ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jordan Times January 12, 2012 - 1:00am AMMAN — The government is examining the best method to allow Hamas members to reside with their families in Jordan, according to Prime Minister Awn Khasawneh. In an interview with Time magazine, excerpts of which were published on Monday, Khasawneh said Hamas members will not be allowed to establish political headquarters for the movement in Jordan or to practise any political activity. "We will be finding modalities to bring back members of Hamas and their families to come," Khasawneh told Time. "We don’t want them to establish another organisation here." » Read more

Controversial Makeover for Gaza’s Beachfront ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Media Line by Omar Ghraieb - January 11, 2012 - 1:00am GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip – For years, it was a dusty, often garbage-strewn asphalt ribbon winding along Gaza City’s otherwise beautiful Mediterranean coast. Today, it’s a construction site, with heavy equipment plowing sand into position, digging tunnels and laying pipes. But if the plans proceed on schedule, Al-Rashid Road, popularly known as the Beach Road, will be transformed into a scenic seaside promenade, or corniche, in the style that has made the meeting between land and sea in places like Beirut, Alexandria and Nice tourist attractions and a gathering place for their residents. » Read more

EU Report: Israel Policy in West Bank Endangers Two-State Solution ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Amira Hass - January 12, 2012 - 1:00am The European Union will direct its activities towards supporting the West Bank’s Palestinian population, a report by the European Heads of Mission in Jerusalem and Ramallah said on Thursday, over what the survey said was Israeli efforts to muscle out Palestinians from Area C. » Read more

Clinton Asks Abbas to Extend Quartet’s Deadline for Talks Resumption: Palestinian Official ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua January 12, 2012 - 1:00am RAMALLAH -- U.S. State Secretary Hillary Clinton asked Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to extend the deadline of Jan. 26 set by the Quartet to resume peace negotiations, a Fatah official said Thursday. "Clinton asked Abbas last night not to stop the Jordanian-hosted talks after the Quartet's deadline," member of Fatah Central Committee Azzam Al-Ahmad told reporters in Ramallah. Al-Ahmad added that Clinton has pledged that her country would continue to exert more efforts in order to achieve peace between Palestinians and Israelis in 2012. » Read more

Reconciliation Committee to Start Work Immediately ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency January 12, 2012 - 1:00am GAZA CITY (Ma'an) -- The committee tasked with implementing the reconciliation agreement between Hamas and Fatah has finalized all administrative preparations and will begin work immediately, committee head Rabah Mhannah said Wednesday. Speaking to reporters after a committee meeting in Gaza City, Mhannah said members were allocated aspects of the agreement to work on. » Read more

Israel’s Identity Crisis: Why it Could be as Detrimental as Palestinian Conflict ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Christian Science Monitor by Joshua Mitnick - January 11, 2012 - 1:00am Tel Aviv: When Tanya Rosenblit boarded the No. 451 bus to Jerusalem last month, she knew that the predominantly ultra-Orthodox passengers would keep their distance from her because of their adherence to strict rules of gender segregation. In the Ultra-Orthodox enclave of Bnei Brak, buses where passengers sit separated by gender are common. Last month the refusal of a secular woman to go to the rear of the bus touched off a national outcry about growing religious extremism. But when one of them demanded she move to the rear, Ms. Rosenblit held her ground. » Read more