March 4th

Israel mulls interim peace plan ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Yahoo News by Laura Rozen - (Blog) March 3, 2011 - 1:00am Amid the stalled Middle East peace process, the Israeli government is considering proposing an interim arrangement with the Palestinians. But Palestinian leaders said they would not accept such a provisional arrangement that stops short of settling on final borders for the creation of a Palestinian state. » Read more

Gaza: Hamas Takes $500,000 From Bank ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press March 3, 2011 - 1:00am All banks in the Gaza Strip temporarily shut down on Thursday after men affiliated with the ruling group Hamas forced a local branch to cash some $500,000 in checks. Gaza bankers said Hamas sent the police to confiscate the money from a branch of the Palestine Investment Bank. They said the police were accompanied by members of a committee Hamas had appointed in 2009 to oversee the Palestine Investment Fund, which is run by the rival Palestinian government in the West Bank. » Read more

UNRWA: A Good Investment for American Taxpayers ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Huffington Post by Philip C. Wilcox - March 3, 2011 - 1:00am The historic popular uprisings in Egypt and elsewhere in the Middle East are forcing the United States, for the first time in decades, to recalibrate American priorities there. In the past, we have weighted our diplomacy and resources toward order and stability, often at the expense of our commitment to freedom, democracy and development. The events of recent weeks make clear that we must give higher priority to supporting more just and accountable political institutions and to unfulfilled human needs. If we don't, the threat of violence and instability will surely grow. » Read more

Washington must not be a global policeman or dictators' patron ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Daily Star by Ziad Asali - March 4, 2011 - 1:00am The current uprisings in the Arab world demand a reassessment of current policy by all countries, especially the United States. One expects heightened demands for democracy, human rights, freedom of expression and regular elections, as well as a commitment to the people of the Middle East that their rights and aspirations will be properly reflected. It would not be surprising if all these demands were packaged as part of an initiative to address the Palestinian-Israel conflict and the establishment of a state of Palestine. » Read more

Washington must not be a global policeman or dictators' patron ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Daily Star by Ziad Asali - March 4, 2011 - 1:00am The current uprisings in the Arab world demand a reassessment of current policy by all countries, especially the United States. One expects heightened demands for democracy, human rights, freedom of expression and regular elections, as well as a commitment to the people of the Middle East that their rights and aspirations will be properly reflected. It would not be surprising if all these demands were packaged as part of an initiative to address the Palestinian-Israel conflict and the establishment of a state of Palestine. » Read more

March 3rd

Israel, Where Are You? ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Huffington Post by Alon Ben-meir - February 28, 2011 - 1:00am While the Arab world joins together in a call for democracy, Israel's democracy is unraveling. As the Arab world demands accountability from its leaders, Israel's leaders are facing investigations and indictments. As the Arab world demands greater social mobility and economic opportunity, Israel's gap between the rich and poor continues to widen. The Arab world has discovered the power of peaceful demonstration, while Israel continues to rely on military might, rather than peacemaking, to safeguard its national interests. » Read more

At least 70 outposts are located on private Palestinian land ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Americans For Peace Now by Lara Friedman, Hagit Ofran - March 2, 2011 - 1:00am Prime Minister Netanyahu yesterday declared his intention to evacuate illegal settlement outposts that are located on private Palestinian land. This declaration reportedly applies to "at least 3 outposts." This declaration is problematic, for a number of reasons: 1. The number of outposts on private land is 70, not 3. Of these, 16 are fully on private land and 54 are partially on private land. Of the 16, 11 are on land which is fully registered as private. See here the full list. » Read more

Lessons from the Tunisian and Egyptian revolutions ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jordan Times by Daoud Kuttab - March 3, 2011 - 1:00am Many activists in Palestine believe that they are the inventors of the concept of popular uprisings in the modern Arab history. After all, many say, the Palestinian Intifada has been hailed as a shining example of an entire people rising up in unison against a ruthless aggressor. » Read more

In Berkeley, California, US Jews argue fiercely over Israeli policies ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The National by Sharmila Devi - March 3, 2011 - 1:00am It has a history of anti-war and pro-civil rights activism unmatched anywhere in the United States, yet not even this bucolic city nestled above San Francisco Bay in California is immune from the slings and arrows that accompany the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Berkeley is home to the top-ranked University of California, bookshops, cafes and wide leafy boulevards with imposing houses for professors and professionals from San Francisco's high-tech sector. » Read more

Rather Than Defend Obama, J Street Is Now Pushing Him ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jewish Daily Forward by Nathan Guttman - March 2, 2011 - 1:00am Shifting sands in the Middle East and new political realities in Washington are forcing J Street to recalibrate its strategy. The dovish Israel lobby, whose supporters gathered recently in Washington for its second national conference, had previously tried to provide political cover for President Obama as he pushed for a speedy resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. But now J Street finds itself prodding a reluctant administration to take a more assertive approach. » Read more