June 24th

Change the coalition ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Yehuda Ben Meir - (Opinion) June 23, 2011 - 12:00am A book can be written about errors made by the Israeli left, about its exaggerated or extremist approaches, and its estrangement from reality. At first, the left's blunders really do not seem like anything anyone has to fret too much about. But the lamentable thing is that the left's stances and statements drive large sectors of the Israeli public away from moderate, balanced positions. » Read more

EU casts doubt on chances of UN vote on Palestinian statehood ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The National by Vita Bekker - June 24, 2011 - 12:00am TEL AVIV // The European Union's foreign policy chief yesterday cast doubt on whether the United Nations will proceed with a Palestinian push for the 192-member body to vote in September on backing Palestinian statehood. Catherine Ashton, speaking in an interview with Haaretz newspaper after a visit to the Middle East, said the EU has been making major efforts, so far unsuccessfully, to press the Israelis and the Palestinians to resume negotiations before the possible UN vote. » Read more

Caring enough to engage ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Jeremy Benami - (Opinion) June 24, 2011 - 12:00am We live at a time when serious decisions regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict are under discussion, the resolution of which will have implications not just for the future of Israel but for Jews living all over the world. It's not surprising that these discussions are accompanied by deep tensions, as they raise questions of life and death, and about the success or failure of the State of Israel and the heart and the soul of the Jewish people. » Read more

Peace, cottage cheese and the dentist ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Yoel Marcus - (Opinion) June 24, 2011 - 12:00am The Israelis and the Palestinians are alike in their inexplicable fear of the dentist. They postpone one appointment after another with various excuses, knowing in their hearts that their teeth will not improve. They avoid the painful operation, but in the end the inevitable will happen. It will be both painful and expensive. » Read more

Peace, cottage cheese and the dentist ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Yoel Marcus - (Opinion) June 24, 2011 - 12:00am The Israelis and the Palestinians are alike in their inexplicable fear of the dentist. They postpone one appointment after another with various excuses, knowing in their hearts that their teeth will not improve. They avoid the painful operation, but in the end the inevitable will happen. It will be both painful and expensive. » Read more

June 23rd

The truth behind another Israeli expulsion trick ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Amira Hass - (Opinion) June 23, 2011 - 12:00am Of all places, it is in Azzariyeh, east of Jerusalem, that one can really learn to appreciate the activities of Palestinian law-enforcement authorities in cities like Ramallah and Nablus. In those cities, Palestinian security forces are seen as authority figures who are trying to protect and serve Palestinian citizens, not just as extensions of Fatah or subcontractors of the Israel Defense Forces or the Shin Bet security service. » Read more

Is the Arab Peace Initiative still viable? ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Arab News by Alon Ben-meir - (Opinion) June 22, 2011 - 12:00am In 1973, Israel's Foreign Minister Abba Eban famously stated that “Arabs never miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity.” Today, however, this phrase is more aptly attributable to Israelis than to the Palestinians. It is clear that Israel is missing a historic opportunity now to capitalize, at least in principle, on the contents of Arab Peace Initiative (API), which offers full normalized relations with the entire Arab world in exchange for the return of the territories captured in 1967 and a negotiated two-state solution. » Read more

International flotilla, again ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jordan Times by Michael Jansen - (Opinion) June 23, 2011 - 12:00am Boats participating in the latest international flotilla to challenge Israel’s siege and blockade of Gaza are set to gather in the eastern Mediterranean next week and attempt to make the passage to the strip in spite of threats from the Israeli navy to block the way. » Read more

Arab autocrats suit Israel perfectly ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Gulf News by Faisal Al Qasim - (Opinion) June 23, 2011 - 12:00am Never take Israeli criticism of Arab dictatorships seriously. It is just for media consumption. In actual fact Israel would hate to see Arab dictators go as they suit it best. That is why the Israeli, together with the Iranian and other Arab lobbies are working constantly hard these days behind the scenes to prop up endangered despotic Arab regimes. » Read more

‘Who Is a Jew?’ Again?! ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jewish Daily Forward (Editorial) June 22, 2011 - 12:00am On the emotional, bedeviling issue of “Who is a Jew?” in Israel, there’s been a small but welcome move toward Jewish reconciliation and an infuriating roadblock put in the way of further progress. First, the good news, because that’s a precious commodity on this subject. After months and months of negotiations, the Ministry of the Interior agreed that the Jewish Agency for Israel will now take the lead role in verifying Orthodox conversions as they relate to granting automatic Israeli citizenship under the Law of Return. » Read more