August 9th

Justified, despite the many mistakes ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Bitterlemons by Yossi Alpher - (Opinion) August 8, 2011 - 12:00am Successive Israeli governments since those of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon have made nearly every mistake possible in creating the West Bank security fence. Yet the fence has not only served its original security purpose well; it has also delineated the broad outline of a future Israeli-Palestinian border everywhere in the West Bank except Jerusalem. » Read more

Palestinians for dummies ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Gabriel Bacalor - (Opinion) August 8, 2011 - 12:00am According to recent opinion polls conducted by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research (PSR), an overwhelming majority of the Palestinians (61 percent) want their government to follow the peace policies of Fatah and President Mahmoud Abbas, while only 18% support the agenda of Hamas. The survey also highlights a broad popular perception of threat in Palestinian society, with 81% of the West Bankers and 82% of Gazans believing that Israel’s long-term goal is to annex the West Bank and expel its inhabitants or deny them their political rights. » Read more

Owning a Piece of Palestine: Syria's Assad Regimes and the Palestinian Question ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Huffington Post by Ziad Asali - (Analysis) August 9, 2011 - 12:00am What follows are my opening remarks at Carnegie-ATFP. Wednesday, July 27, Moderator Ziad Asali: Thank you very much, Marina. It is a privilege to be doing this program with Carnegie and have you with us, and we look forward to more association in the future. Thank you, everyone, for attending this program. It is about Syria, and the title is, "Owning a Piece of Palestine." » Read more

Netanyahu must distance himself from Lieberman ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz (Editorial) August 9, 2011 - 12:00am The growing social-economic protest is, as could be expected, giving rise to efforts to divert resources from the issues of the day to a different set of priorities. The prime minister and the finance minister were quick to grab hold of the crisis in the money market following the downgrading of America's credit rating. The foreign minister harnessed for his needs the political crisis expected to occur in the wake of a United Nations decision to recognize a Palestinian state. » Read more

Israel arrests third actor in refugee theatre group ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Independent by Catrina Stewart - August 9, 2011 - 12:00am Organisers of a pioneering drama project in a Palestinian refugee camp have accused Israel of a campaign of intimidation after soldiers arrested a third member in the space of a few days. Rami Hwayel, an actor with the Jenin Freedom Theatre, was arrested two days ago at an Israeli checkpoint in the West Bank as he drove home with friends to see his family for Ramadan. » Read more

Social media offers last keffiyeh factory lifeline ATFP World Press Roundup Article from BBC News by Howard Johnson - August 8, 2011 - 12:00am Hirbawi Textiles is located on a nondescript road on the outskirts of the Palestinian city Hebron. To the outsider it looks like any other ageing factory. In the dank, strip-light lit interior there are rows of disused machines with cogs wrapped in cobwebs. But three years ago the factory became the focus of the world's media, when it became apparent it was the last in the Palestinian Territories to produce the keffiyeh, the traditional Arab headdress and favourite of former leader Yasser Arafat. » Read more

Gazan Defies Handicap to Live Life to Fullest ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Media Line by Omar Ghraieb - August 2, 2011 - 12:00am Abdul Qader Abu Lubda is walking down the street in his Gaza City neighborhood one afternoon this week. In one hand he has a sheaf of papers perched precariously between his palm and two short fingers. In the other, two stumpy fingers are holding a heavy bag. But Abu Lubda doesn’t look or act like he’s struggling.. » Read more

Fire from Gaza intensifies as three mortars hit southern Israel ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz August 8, 2011 - 12:00am Three mortar shells fell Sunday night in Sha'ar HaNegev Regional Council, causing damage to a fence. No injuries were reported. The incident comes after a spate in rocket attacks launched from the Gaza Strip last week. On Friday, Israel Air Force jets attacked five targets in Gaza in response to the firing of Grad rockets. Hours before the air strike a rocket fell in an open field near the town of Kiryat Gat. The rocket was the third of its kind in 24 hours, but it caused no injuries or damage. » Read more

Israeli army arrests 11 Palestinians in West Bank ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua August 9, 2011 - 12:00am Israeli army arrested 11 Palestinians in the West Bank early Tuesday, including a senior Hamas member, Palestinian security sources and Israeli media said. Most of the detainees were napped in Hebron city where Hamas official Aied Doudin lived. The Palestinian sources said that Doudin and some of his relatives were seized. Israel Radio reported that the raid targeted wanted activists. It also reported that two rockets were fired from the Gaza Strip and landed in Western Negev in Israel. The missiles caused no injuries or damage. » Read more

Hamas employees' wages late due to cash crisis ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency August 7, 2011 - 12:00am Civil servants in Gaza will not receive their July salaries until the end of August due to government cash shortages, Hamas finance ministry official Ismail Mahfouz said Sunday. Speaking at the Gaza government's information office, Mahfouz said that while some of the government's income came from internal revenue, a large part of the budget was received from external sources. He said there was a deficit in support from abroad, and that Hamas officials were trying to secure more finance from outside the Gaza Strip. » Read more