Hot-button issue: Performing in Israel ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Los Angeles Times by Edmund Sanders - (Analysis) November 21, 2010 - 1:00am When the Cape Town Opera's revival of "Porgy and Bess" toured Europe, its novel resetting of the American classic to apartheid-era Soweto won raves. When the touring production moved to Israel this month, attention turned sour. No less than Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu called it "unconscionable" for a South African opera company to perform in Israel, the target of an increasingly aggressive international cultural boycott organized by pro-Palestinian activists hoping to turn Tel Aviv into the new Sun City. » Read more

Hot-button issue: Performing in Israel ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Los Angeles Times by Edmund Sanders - (Analysis) November 21, 2010 - 1:00am When the Cape Town Opera's revival of "Porgy and Bess" toured Europe, its novel resetting of the American classic to apartheid-era Soweto won raves. When the touring production moved to Israel this month, attention turned sour. No less than Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu called it "unconscionable" for a South African opera company to perform in Israel, the target of an increasingly aggressive international cultural boycott organized by pro-Palestinian activists hoping to turn Tel Aviv into the new Sun City. » Read more

With settlement deal, U.S. will be rewarding Israel's bad behavior ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Washington Post by Daniel Kurtzer - (Opinion) November 21, 2010 - 1:00am It was only a little over a year and a half ago that the Obama administration demanded a freeze on Israeli settlements in the occupied territories, including even the "natural growth" of existing settlements. At the time, the administration called settlement activity "illegitimate" and appeared ready to go to the mat with Israel to show just how strongly the United States believed that settlements impede peace. » Read more

Palestinian Leader Insists on Halt to Settlements ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times by Isabel Kershner - (Analysis) November 21, 2010 - 1:00am JERUSALEM — The Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, said Sunday that any American proposal for restarting Israeli-Palestinian negotiations must include East Jerusalem as part of a complete halt in Israeli settlement building. It was not immediately clear whether Mr. Abbas’s position, which is consistent with Palestinian policy, would scuttle a proposed deal that the Americans hope will lead to resumption of the negotiations. In the past the sides have found ways to surmount such difficulties. » Read more