Hamas Optimistic On Fiscal Condition in Gaza ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua March 23, 2012 - 12:00am GAZA, March 22 (Xinhua) -- A senior Hamas official told Xinhua on Thursday that the 2012 budget for the Palestinian territory of Gaza is 769 million U.S. dollars and expressed his optimism over the enclave's fiscal condition. Hamas Economic Minister Alla al-Deen al-Rafati told Xinhua in an interview that the budget would soon be submitted to the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC), where it will likely get passed. » Read more

National security or national disaster? ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Uri Savir - (Opinion) March 22, 2012 - 12:00am Security considerations have been used often by Israeli leaders throughout our existence as the ultimate justification for a policy decision or indecision. Our “security syndrome” stems for objective and subjective considerations – our history as the Jewish people, wherein we withstood every possible onslaught on our very existence and identity – from the ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans, to the Spanish, the tzars, the Nazis and the Arab nations. This is the backdrop to our national ethos – “never again” and “we can only trust ourselves.” » Read more

Israel's economy will pay heavy price for Iron Dome ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Jamie Levin - (Opinion) March 23, 2012 - 12:00am Since March 9, more than 300 rockets, mortars and missiles have been fired into southern Israel from the Gaza Strip, a response to the killing of Zohair al-Qaisi, secretary-general of the Palestinian Popular Resistance Committee, who the army said was planning a major terrorist attack on Israel. But unlike during the decade of attacks that preceded these hostilities, in which 8,000 rockets induced terror and resulted in 31 fatalities in southern Israel, a sense of euphoria has instead prevailed among many Israelis. The reason? » Read more

Israeli PM Terms UNHRC Settlement Fact-Finding Mission as “Hypocritical” ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua March 23, 2012 - 12:00am JERUSALEM, March 22 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu lashed at United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) on Thursday after it approved a fact-finding mission to Israel to probe into the effects of settlements on Palestinians. UNHRC on Thursday voted in favor of sending a dispatch to the West Bank and East Jerusalem in order to evaluate Jewish settlements repercussions on Palestinian human rights. » Read more

An Interview With Jeremy Ben-Ami on Settlements, Beinart, Obama, the Whole Nine Yards By Jeffrey Goldberg ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Atlantic by Jeffrey Goldberg - (Interview) March 23, 2012 - 12:00am In what seems to have become an annual tradition here at Goldblog, I interviewed Jeremy Ben-Ami, the founder and major domo of J Street, the left-leaning pro-Israel lobbying group, in advance of his organization's annual conference, which takes place in Washington this weekend. » Read more

If recent Israel-Gaza escalation isn't war, what is? ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Amiel Ungar - (Opinion) March 23, 2012 - 12:00am The pundits are correct: The recently concluded round of hostilities in Gaza between Israel and Islamic Jihad will have sequels coming soon to a shelter near you, especially as both Islamic Jihad and Israel have claimed victory. » Read more

UN Rights Body Launches Probe into Israeli Settlements ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters by Stephanie Nebehay - March 23, 2012 - 12:00am GENEVA (Reuters) -- The United Nations launched an international investigation on Thursday into Israeli settlements in the Palestinian territories, with the United States isolated in voting against the initiative brought by the Palestinian Authority. The UN Human Rights Council condemned Israel's planned construction of new housing units for settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, saying they undermined the peace process and posed a threat to the two-state solution and the creation of a contiguous and independent Palestinian state. » Read more

Fayyad Welcomes Call to Boost PA Funding ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency March 23, 2012 - 12:00am BETHLEHEM (Ma'an) -- The premier in Ramallah Salam Fayyad on Thursday welcomed the call to donors to give the Palestinian Authority $1 billion, but said the funds must be received swiftly to ease the deepening financial crisis. At a donors' conference in Brussels on Wednesday, the chair of the Ad-Hoc Liaison Committee on Palestine, Norwegian Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere, urged donors to pledge $1 billion to fill the PA's budget deficit. Fayyad told Voice of Palestine radio that it was crucial that at least half of the money was transferred quickly to reduce the fiscal crisis. » Read more

No Arrests in Racist Mall Riot ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency March 23, 2012 - 12:00am TEL AVIV, Israel (Ma'an) -- Israeli police have made no arrests after hundreds of football supporters attacked Palestinian workers at a shopping mall in Jerusalem, the Israeli daily Haaretz reported Friday. The assault in Malha mall on Monday was "a mass lynching attempt," cleaner Mohammed Yusuf told Haaretz. An Israeli police spokesman did not respond to inquiries from Ma'an, but witnesses told Haaretz that hundreds of football fans flooded the mall after a match and chanted anti-Arab slogans, screaming "Death to the Arabs." » Read more

Israel Seeks to Return Refugees to South Sudan ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Los Angeles Times by Batsheva Sobelman - March 22, 2012 - 12:00am REPORTING FROM JERUSALEM--Israel doesn't need celebrity activists to call its attention to troubles in Africa. After years of being on the receiving end of a steady stream of work migrants and asylum seekers, the country knows this first-hand. Civil war, tribal troubles and economic hardship in African countries have sent tens of thousands on the dangerous journey across the desert to try their luck in Israel, which they have entered through the country's sprawling, largely open border with Egypt. » Read more