February 16th

A wrongheaded prosecution of UC-Irvine student protesters ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Washington Post (Editorial) February 15, 2011 - 1:00am ONE BY ONE the students rose in the auditorium, shouting and drowning out a lecture by Israeli Ambassador Michael Oren last year at the University of California at Irvine. "Michael Oren, you are a war criminal!" yelled one student, as a group of others cheered him on. "Michael Oren, propagating murder is not an expression of free speech!" shouted another minutes later. » Read more

Past time for PA to break impasse in the West Bank ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The National (Editorial) February 16, 2011 - 1:00am Recent events may have given the Palestinian Authority the nudge, but it was already standing very close to the brink. On Saturday, the PA promised presidential and parliamentary elections in September; two days later, the entire cabinet quit. In a quieter news cycle, those decisions would have dominated the Middle East agenda, but protests in Egypt, Bahrain, Yemen and Iran produce new headlines every day. Indeed, it is worth asking what this recent shake-up in the West Bank will achieve. » Read more

Palestinian Erekat says he resigned to set example, not because of contents of leak ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Washington Post by Joel Greenberg - February 15, 2011 - 1:00am Saeb Erekat, the longtime chief Palestinian negotiator who resigned Saturday after a massive leak of documents from his office, said Tuesday that he did not leave because of the substance of the leaks but because they happened on his watch. Excerpts from the documents released last month by the al-Jazeera satellite television channel showed Palestinian negotiators discussing significant concessions on the issues of East Jerusalem and Palestinian refugees during talks in 2008. The revelations caused a storm of controversy among Palestinians and in the wider Arab world. » Read more

A blessing for the region: an interview with Bassma Kodmani ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Bitterlemons (Interview) February 10, 2011 - 1:00am BI: How would you assess Wikileaks' contribution to the revolutionary popular uprisings in Tunisia, Egypt and elsewhere? » Read more

Israel: Four Foreign Missions Closed ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times by Isabel Kershner - February 15, 2011 - 1:00am Israel temporarily closed four of its diplomatic missions abroad in recent days because of suspicions that they were under threat of attack, an Israeli official said on Tuesday. He refused to specify their locations, for security reasons, but he said that two had partially reopened. The precautions were taken after “unusual occurrences were identified recently around a few missions abroad,” the Israeli government said in a statement. » Read more

February 15th

IDF colleges in east Jerusalem? 'Dangerous move' ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Ronen Medzini - February 14, 2011 - 1:00am Ynet has learned of a Defense Ministry plan to relocate IDF colleges from Glilot to an eight-acre complex in Jerusalem, on land that is partially located beyond the Green Line. According to the plan, the complex will be built between the Hebrew University campus on Mount Scopus and the Mormon University. Part of the designated land is within the boundaries of the Arab neighborhood Wadi al-Joz and in an area which is not recognized by the UN as being under Israeli sovereignty. » Read more

PM, FM at odds over UK envoy post ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Roni Sofer - February 14, 2011 - 1:00am Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman said Monday that he has disagreements with the prime minister but that his party has no intention of withdrawing from the coalition. He added that National Security Advisor Uzi Arad would not be appointed ambassador to London as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has decided. In an Yisrael Beiteinu faction meeting, the foreign minister commented on the appointment of Ron Prosor as Israel's ambassador to the United Nations. He said that he was behind the appointment and slammed the prime minister. » Read more

Protecting Israel from its citizens ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Avirama Golan - February 14, 2011 - 1:00am On Tuesday, a Knesset committee is due to approve on second and third readings the bill combating boycotts against Israel - another hysterical proposal by the right wing and Kadima MK Dalia Itzik designed to protect our weak and tiny country, which is being attacked from within and without. » Read more

Knesset passes 'Bishara bill' following stormy session ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Rebecca Anna Stoil - February 14, 2011 - 1:00am Despite impassioned opposition by Meretz and the Arab parties, a law that allows the committee to revoke the salary of any MK who fails to report for questioning when summoned by the police sailed easily through its final readings on the Knesset floor Monday evening. The bill, sponsored by Yisrael Hasson (Kadima), Yariv Levin (Likud) and co-sponsored by a number of MKs empowers the House committee to vote to deny the salary, pension payment, and any additional payments paid to a current or former MK. » Read more

Machsom Watch activist: Removing checkpoints doesn't remove the occupation ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Jack Khoury - February 15, 2011 - 1:00am Susan Lourenco has volunteered for the Machsom Watch organization for seven years, so she is familiar with virtually every Israeli army checkpoint in the West Bank. She is extremely well-acquainted with the Hawara crossing near Nablus - one of the symbols of the occupation and its control over the Palestinian civilian population - having spent many long hours there together with other women active in the organization. » Read more