March 20th

US makes demands on Palestinian unity government ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Agence France Presse (AFP) March 19, 2009 - 12:00am WASHINGTON (AFP) — The United States said Thursday that Hamas must be committed to non-violence and meet other international demands before Washington can recognize a Palestinian unity government with the radical group's members. The statement referred to the quartet of the United States, United Nations, Russia and the European Union, which have mapped out the conditions for pursuing Palestinian-Israeli peace. » Read more

What hopes now for peace in the Middle East? ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Independent by Donald MacIntyre - March 20, 2009 - 12:00am The stark headline on yesterday's New York Times read "Israel faces isolation as new leader gets ready". The report referred to the backlash against the recent offensive in Gaza. But a bigger theme was Israeli concern at overseas reaction to the imminent premiership of a man for whom a two-state solution is not a priority – not to mention his appointment of a nationalist demagogue, Avigdor Lieberman, as Foreign Minister. » Read more

'Final word on Schalit yet to be said' ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post March 20, 2009 - 12:00am Egyptian sources said Friday said a final decision on the Gilad Schalit deal was "yet to be made," a day before the IDF soldier marks 1,000 days in Hamas captivity and his family spends its last hours in a protest tent outside the Prime Minister's Residence in Jerusalem. Speaking to the London-based Al Hayat newspaper, the sources said a final decision on Schalit will be made before Prime Minister Ehud Olmert leaves office. The sources said Israel's announcement on Tuesday was "a maneuver intended to pressure Hamas." The Jerusalem Post could not confirm Al Hayat's report. » Read more

PA says Israel 'ethnically cleansing' east Jerusalem ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Agence France Presse (AFP) March 19, 2009 - 12:00am The Palestinian Authority accused Israel of 'ethnically cleansing' east Jerusalem of Palestinians, following the tearing down of dozens of buildings in the capital's east. "There is an unprecedented escalation of the Government of occupation and what they call the municipality of Jerusalem against the Palestinian presence in Jerusalem through the destruction of tens of houses and the issuance of demolition orders against dozens of others," said Nabil Abu Roudeina, a spokesman for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. » Read more

UN envoy: Gaza op seems to be war crime of greatest magnitude ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz March 19, 2009 - 12:00am A United Nations human rights investigator said on Thursday that Israel's offensive against Hamas in densely populated Gaza appeared to constitute a war crime of the "greatest magnitude." Richard Falk, UN special rapporteur on human rights in the Palestinian territories, said the Geneva Conventions required warring forces to distinguish between military targets and surrounding civilians. "If it is not possible to do so, then launching the attacks is inherently unlawful and would seem to constitute a war crime of the greatest magnitude under international law," Falk said. » Read more

Israeli Coalition Appears Fated to Clash With U.S. ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Washington Post by Howard Schneider - March 20, 2009 - 12:00am JERUSALEM, March 19 -- The foreign minister of Israel's incoming government lives in a West Bank settlement and will begin life as a diplomat battling the perception that he is anti-Arab. » Read more

Soldiers’ Accounts of Gaza Killings Raise Furor in Israel ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times by Ethan Bronner - March 20, 2009 - 12:00am JERUSALEM — In the two months since Israel ended its military assault on Gaza, Palestinians and international rights groups have accused it of excessive force and wanton killing in that operation, but the Israeli military has said it followed high ethical standards and took great care to avoid civilian casualties. » Read more

An Israeli foreign minister who won’t wear velvet gloves ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The National by Alan Philps - March 20, 2009 - 12:00am Next week marks the 30th anniversary of the peace treaty between Israel and Egypt. For a generation this document has guaranteed that Israel will not come under attack from Arab armies. So it is surprising that the next foreign minister of Israel – barring some upset in the still incomplete coalition negotiations – will be Avigdor Lieberman, the man who used the podium of the Israeli parliament last year to tell President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt to “go to Hell”. » Read more

In NY synagogue, Israeli settler leader calls for assassination of Abbas-- and tax-deductible contributions ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Mondoweiss by Philip Weiss - March 19, 2009 - 12:00am Exclusive report from Mondoweiss: In a speech at a New York synagogue Wednesday night, Nadia Matar, a leader of the Israeli settlers' group "Women in Green," called for the assassination of Mahmoud Abbas, the president of the Palestinian Authority, as a way of bringing peace to Israel. » Read more

March 19th

Israelis Using 'Excessive' Force Against Protesters ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Inter Press Service (IPS) by Mel Frykberg - March 19, 2009 - 12:00am The critical wounding of a U.S. activist has highlighted the excessive use of force by Israeli forces. The activist, Tristan Anderson, 38, was shot in the head by Israeli soldiers during a protest against Israel's separation barrier in the Palestinian West Bank last week. He remains in intensive care in Tel Hashomer Hospital in Tel Aviv. Anderson was one of approximately 400 international, Palestinian and Israeli protestors taking part in a demonstration in the village of Ni'ilin, near the central West Bank city Ramallah, when he was hit by a teargas canister. » Read more