Poll: 77% of 'Soviet' olim support Arab transfer ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews August 3, 2009 - 12:00am The 2009 Democracy Index, published by the Israel Democracy Institute on Sunday, reveals marked differences between the immigrant population from the former Soviet Union and the general population in Israel. The IDI's 2009 Democracy Index was handed to President Shimon Peres Monday. The survey was carried out in March 2009 on a sample representative of the adult population in Israel of 1,191 respondents. The respondents were interviewed in three languages: Hebrew, Arabic, and Russian. The sampling error is 2.8%. » Read more

Netanyahu plans meeting with Mitchell ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Roni Sofer - August 3, 2009 - 12:00am Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will hold an important meeting with US Mideast envoy George Mitchell at the end of the month, sources said. Top sources in Jerusalem confirmed to Ynet that Netanyahu will meet with Mitchell in London, as part of the prime minister's European tour in which he will also meet with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and German Chancellor Angela Merkel. » Read more

Palestinians seek end to trade dependence on Israel ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters by Erika Soloman - August 3, 2009 - 12:00am At Garden's grocery store in Ramallah, Dalia al-Khatib hands out fliers and showcases Palestinian goods for Intajuna ("Our Products"), one of many campaigns asking Palestinians to avoid Israeli products. But across town, an all-Palestinian crew of labourers heads home after a day of work on the nearby Jewish settlement of Adam, like some 30,000 other Palestinians who help build settlements in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. » Read more

Rights groups: Gov't stifles free speech ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Dan Izenberg - August 3, 2009 - 12:00am Organizations who devote all or part of their efforts towards protecting Palestinian human and legal rights on Sunday delivered a strong protest to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu against "the aggressive efforts of the government of Israel to hurt Breaking the Silence." On July 15, Breaking the Silence, an organization comprising former IDF soldiers, published a report including testimonies by 30 soldiers who provided alleged examples of the army's illegal use of Palestinian civilians in combat situations, wanton destruction of homes and buildings and careless use of weapons. » Read more

Knesset Speaker: Establishment of Israel caused Arabs real trauma ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz August 3, 2009 - 12:00am Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin (Likud) is calling for a fundamental change in relations between Jews and Arabs in Israel, urging the founding of a "true partnership" between the two sectors, based on mutual respect, absolute equality and the addressing of "the special needs and unique character of each of the sides." » Read more

Lieberman affair / Human error sank Israel's most careful politician ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Gidi Weitz - August 3, 2009 - 12:00am How did this happen to Avigdor Lieberman, perhaps the most careful man in the history of Israeli politics - to reach the point where the police are recommending that serious charges be brought against him? Human error is to blame. A group of documents that Lieberman forgot at a certain office reached the attorney general and eventually led to the unequivocal police recommendation. » Read more

U.S. condemns eviction of Arab families from East Jerusalem ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Nir Hasson, Barak Ravid - August 3, 2009 - 12:00am The United States and the United Nations sharply condemned the eviction of two Palestinian families from their homes in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah and their replacement with Jewish families on Sunday. Diplomats from the U.S. Embassy sent a protest letter to the Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem, stressing the move went against the spirit of the road map. The diplomats said a high-level protest will be communicated to Israel later on Monday. » Read more

How Lieberman under fire could impact on the diplomatic process ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Herb Keinon - August 3, 2009 - 12:00am Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman sat on a couch in the foyer just outside of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's office mid-Sunday afternoon, apparently waiting for a meeting. The sight of the foreign minister waiting in the hall was uncharacteristic. People usually wait for Lieberman, not the other way around. It led one reporter, being ushered into another part of the building for a briefing on the morning's cabinet meeting, to guess: "It must be related to the indictment." » Read more

'Bustling' Nabulus 'Returning to Normal' After Checkpoint Changes ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'ariv by Amit Cohen - July 31, 2009 - 12:00am Learned Lesson From Gaza » Read more

Israel condemned over evictions ATFP World Press Roundup Article from BBC News August 2, 2009 - 12:00am The US has led international condemnation of Israel after it evicted nine Palestinian families living in two houses in occupied East Jerusalem. Washington said the action was not in keeping with Israel's obligations under the so-called "road map" to resolve the Israel-Palestinian conflict. Jewish settlers moved into the houses almost immediately. Israel occupied East Jerusalem in 1967 and later annexed it, a move not recognised by the world community. The removal of the 53 people was also condemned by the United Nations, the Palestinians and the UK government. » Read more