Time slipping for Obama Israel trip ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Politico by Carrie Budoff Brown - (Opinion) November 2, 2011 - 12:00am Former President George W. Bush waited until his eighth year in office to touch down in Israel. His father, George H.W. Bush, didn’t go at all. Neither did Ronald Reagan. But for President Barack Obama, the call of Israel has always been more urgent. » Read more

UNESCO fiasco ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Chicago Tribune (Editorial) November 2, 2011 - 12:00am The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, aka UNESCO, is a leading force in promoting literacy, science and education — in other words, vital international values. It does a lot of good work around the world, from promoting literacy in Afghanistan to training teachers in Africa. That's why the U.S. contributes about $80 million annually to UNESCO, or 22 percent of its budget. Or did, until Monday. » Read more

UNESCO and After: Multiple Wrongs Won't Secure Rights ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Council On Foreign Relations by Robert Danin - (Blog) November 2, 2011 - 12:00am The vote by UNESCO to admit Palestine as a full member distracts international attention from the only efforts that will make Palestine a genuine reality: negotiations and state-building efforts on the ground. No good has emerged from the past twenty-four hours’ developments, but already we are seeing considerable harm. » Read more

Condoleezza Rice says prospects for Mideast peace have worsened under Obama ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Washington Post November 1, 2011 - 12:00am WASHINGTON — Prospects for Israeli-Palestinian peace are far worse today than when she left office, former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Tuesday, and she partly blames the Obama administration’s tough line against Israeli settlement-building for spoiling chances for new talks. “When you look at where we are now, we’re a long, long way back from where we were,” Rice said in an interview with The Associated Press. » Read more

Arafat's widow denies Tunisia's corruption charges ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Asharq Alawsat by Kifah Zaboun - November 2, 2011 - 12:00am TUNIS/RAMALLAH, Asharq Al-Awsat – The Tunisian government has issued an arrest warrant for the widow of former Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, in connection with a corruption investigation into the “International School of Carthage”, the Tunisian state-run news agency reported on Monday. The International School of Cartage was founded by Suha Arafat – wife of former Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat – and former Tunisian First Lady Leila Ben Ali Trabelsi, wife of ousted Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. » Read more

A significant victory for Palestinians ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Gulf News (Editorial) November 2, 2011 - 12:00am Winning their bid for full membership at the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) is a great victory for the Palestinians. The importance of this is not confined to the membership per se. Rather, it should be seen within its wider context of its importance and immediacy in giving Palestinians their basic rights. » Read more

UN victory for Palestine needs no extra fallout ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The National (Editorial) November 2, 2011 - 12:00am Palestinians won a symbolic but highly important victory on Monday when Unesco, the UN's Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, awarded them full membership status, the first UN body to do so since a September request for greater recognition. » Read more

Thousands of UN schools staff strike for third time in Gaza Strip ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The National by Hugh Naylor - November 2, 2011 - 12:00am JERUSALEM // Employees at about 240 United Nations schools in the Gaza Strip have gone on strike for the third time in little more than a month to protest against the punishment of a teacher with alleged unauthorised links to Hamas. Suheil Al Hindi was suspended from his teaching duties by the UN's Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) in September for reportedly organising an event attended by Hamas officials. That was in breach of the UN agency's policy of barring participation in political activity without first obtaining permission. » Read more

Obama will rue his lack of principle on Palestine's Unesco membership ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Guardian by Ian Williams - (Opinion) November 2, 2011 - 12:00am The cheers that rang across the hall of the Unesco meeting when Palestine became a member on Monday are being echoed in surprising quarters. » Read more

UNESCO’s vote ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post (Editorial) November 2, 2011 - 12:00am A huge cheer of joy erupted Monday in the General Assembly room of the Paris-based UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) after "Palestine" was voted in as the organization's 195th member. However, the event was, in reality, not a cause for celebration but another lamentable example of the moral bankruptcy of the UN and its organizations. While the US, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands and Israel voted against it, such bastions of human rights and freedom as China, Russia and Brazil voted in favor. » Read more