April 1st

’Post’ poll: 43% of Israeli Jews satisfied with Netanyahu ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Gil Hoffman - April 1, 2011 - 12:00am A significant majority of the Jewish Israeli public is dissatisfied with the performance of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, according to a Smith Research poll sponsored by The Jerusalem Post to coincide with Thursday’s second anniversary of the government’s formation. The poll of 500 adult Jewish Israelis representing a statistical sample of the population was taken Monday and Tuesday and had a margin of error of 4.5 percent. » Read more

IDF prepares for multi-front war in war games ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Yaakov Katz - April 1, 2011 - 12:00am In the face of a changing Middle East, the IDF held a set of war games this week aimed at preparing the military for all-out war against Hezbollah, Syria and Hamas. The exercise did not include soldiers or live-fire exercises, but was held to drill commanders and their decisions in the event of a large-scale war on multiple fronts. The exercise was the first overseen by new Chief of General Staff Lt.-Gen. Benny Gantz. It was organized by Maj.-Gen. Gershon Hacohen, head of the IDF Colleges. » Read more

Debunking the fascist libel ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post (Editorial) March 31, 2011 - 12:00am The term “fascist” has been bandied about quite freely by parliamentarians and public figures on the Left recently. MK Isaac Herzog, a candidate to lead Labor in the next elections, used the term during a conference organized by Peace Now in Tel Aviv last Friday to describe a series of legislative initiatives promoted primarily by Avigdor Lieberman’s Israel Beiteinu Party. Other prominent left-wing intellectuals, journalists and artists have lamented “reactionary” trends overtaking our society and being given expression in the Knesset. » Read more

Love song for Palestine ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Roni Shaked - (Opinion) March 31, 2011 - 12:00am Tareq Abu Salama sits at the heart of Bethlehem's Manger Sqaure, strumming the strings of his oud and singing protests songs against the Palestinian division and the Israeli occupation. A khaki-colored tent stands next to him, displaying a Palestinian flag and a sign calling for Palestinian unity. At the tent's entrance stands a mosaic board shaped like a Palestinian map; a large crack extends between Gaza and the West Bank. » Read more

NY court asserts jurisdiction for PLO bombings lawsuit ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press April 1, 2011 - 12:00am A New York judge has concluded that he has jurisdiction to preside over litigation resulting from a lawsuit filed against the Palestine Liberation Organization by victims of bombings in Israel. Federal Judge George Daniels in Manhattan said in a written order that the PLO had offices in Washington and New York during a three-year period when the bombings occurred. » Read more

Defense Ministry ordered to release internal documents on Gaza policies ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Amira Hass - March 30, 2011 - 12:00am The Tel Aviv District Court last week ordered the office of the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories to release internal documents that detail the minimum nutritional requirements and calorie calculations needed to sustain the residents of the Gaza Strip. In addition, the court ordered the agency, also called COGAT and which operates under the auspices of the Defense Ministry, to reveal the names of the officials who helped implement the policy of limiting the entry of goods and foodstuffs into the Gaza Strip. » Read more

As Israel perpetuates occupation, its youth sees little value in peace and freedom ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Carlo Strenger - (Blog) April 1, 2011 - 12:00am A recent survey of the political opinion of Israeli youth shows a significant move to the right. More than sixty percent of 15 to 18 year olds and 21 to 24 year olds define themselves as rightwing; 60 percent of the first group prefers strong leaders to the rule of law; an overwhelming majority of the respondents do not believe that negotiations will lead to peace with Palestinians and prefer the status quo. The picture that emerges is of a profoundly pessimistic group that sees little reason for optimism – a group that prefers power over freedom and whose values are nationalistic. » Read more

Israel holds secret talks with Russia in bid to thwart recognition of Palestinian state ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Barak Ravid - April 1, 2011 - 12:00am Isaac Molho, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s senior adviser and top negotiator on the Palestinian channel, made a secret trip to Moscow on Wednesday and met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. The purpose of the visit was to dissuade Russia from supporting the European Union’s intention to present in two weeks’ time a plan for the establishment of a Palestinian state within the 1967 borders. » Read more

Israel Warns Against Recognition of Independent Palestine ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Inter Press Service (IPS) by Mel Frykber - March 31, 2011 - 12:00am The Israeli government has warned the U.N. Security Council and the EU that it will resort to unilateral countermeasures if the international community recognises Palestine as an independent state at the U.N. General Assembly session next September. The warning is in response to what the Israeli government perceives as attempts by critics, local and international, to "de-legitimise" the Jewish state. » Read more

Palestinian president calls for settlement freeze to resume talks ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua April 1, 2011 - 12:00am Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Thursday called on Israel to stop Jewish settlement construction in order to resume peace talks. In a meeting with visiting Croatian Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor, Abbas added that he was hopeful that "the independent Palestinian statehood with its capital in East Jerusalem would be created "very soon." The peace talks have stalled since September due to a dispute on the resumption of Jewish settlement construction in the West Bank. » Read more