May 23rd

A PALESTINIAN VIEW: Israel's 'bunker government' 2012
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Bitterlemons
by Mahdi Abdul Hadi - (Opinion) May 21, 2012 - 12:00am


Most recently, we have witnessed Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu in four different spheres. Simultaneously, he was architect of the coalition deal with Israeli opposition party Kadima; negotiations (with Egypt) and the subsequent compromise ending the Palestinian prisoners' hunger strike; the response of "words and not deeds" to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' letter; and the continuation of military operations against Palestinians in Gaza and settlement expansion in the West Bank, including Jerusalem.


Knesset to hold reading of outpost bill
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post
by Tovah Lazaroff - May 23, 2012 - 12:00am


The Knesset is poised to hold a preliminary reading of an outpost bill which would legalize many unauthorized West Bank Jewish homes in both outposts and settlements. Ahead of Wednesday’s vote, National Union Party leader Ya’acov Katz, who proposed the bill, and MK Zevulun Orlev (Habayit Hayehudi) met Tuesday with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, who has opposed efforts to legislate the issue of unauthorized Jewish building in the West Bank.


78 percent of Jerusalem Palestinians living in poverty
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency
May 23, 2012 - 12:00am


JERUSALEM (Ma'an) -- A report released this week by an Israeli human rights organization reveals that 78 percent of Palestinians in Jerusalem live below the poverty line. According to the report by the Association for Civil Rights in Israel, extreme poverty and high unemployment rates in East Jerusalem are a direct result of decades of Israeli policies which have stifled the economy in Palestinian areas.


Nothing is “inevitable”
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from NOW Lebanon
by Hussein Ibish - (Opinion) May 22, 2012 - 12:00am


One of the most important political principles is that history is not deterministic in any sense. It is, rather, a genealogy of human choices. It is shaped by agency, intentionality and decisions that are both individual and collective. 


Settlers 'attack village' near Bethlehem
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency
May 23, 2012 - 12:00am


BETHLEHEM (Ma'an) -- Israeli settlers on Tuesday attacked several homes during a march through a village near Bethlehem, witnesses said. Dozens of settlers threw rocks at homes and shops in Tuqu and shut down the main road, preventing cars from entering the village, locals told Ma'an. Israeli soldiers were stationed at the entrances to Tuqu and were protecting the settlers, witnesses added. An Israeli military spokeswoman said settlers had lined up about a dozen cars in a procession through the area. She said the army was unaware of any incident.


Israel: South Africa's desire to label West Bank goods is 'racist'
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Christian Science Monitor
by Joshua Mitnick - May 21, 2012 - 12:00am


In the 45 years since gaining control of the West Bank, Israel has refrained from formally annexing the territory claimed by the Palestinians, in part out of fear of an international uproar. In trade, however, Israel has been labeling goods from Jewish settlements there as “Made in Israel” for years.


Israel violates Egypt-brokered prisoner deal: PNA
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua
May 22, 2012 - 12:00am


RAMALLAH, May 22 (Xinhua) -- The Palestinian National Authority (PNA) said on Tuesday that Israel has violated an Egypt-brokered prisoner deal that demands the transfer of 18 Palestinians it jailed from solitary confinement to regular cells. Palestinian Minister of Prisoners Affairs Eissa Qaraqe' said Israel is still holding one prisoner in solitary confinement, pointing to its "intention to evade the articles of the agreement. "


Resuming Palestinian Airlines flights sign of future state sovereignty
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua
by Emad Drimly, Osama Radi - (Analysis) May 22, 2012 - 12:00am


RAMALLAH, May 22 (Xinhua) -- At his office in Ramallah, captain Zeyad al-Badda, director of the Palestinian Airlines "al- Falastinia" runs coordination of flights with officials at the airports of al-Arish in the Egyptian Peninsula of Sinai and Marka Airport in Jordan for Palestinian passengers.


EU 'concerned' over conviction of Palestinian
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press
by Diaa Hadid - May 23, 2012 - 12:00am


JERUSALEM — The European Union says it is "concerned" over Israel's conviction of a prominent Palestinian protest leader. An Israeli military court on Sunday convicted Bassem al-Tamimi, 45, of urging youths to throw rocks at security forces and of leading illegal demonstrations, based on the testimony of a 15-year-old. Al-Tamimi led protests in the West Bank village of Nabi Saleh for years against Israeli policies. The protests often turn into clashes between rock-throwing youths and Israeli forces firing tear gas.


Pro-Hamas students holed up on West Bank campus
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press
by Mohammed Daraghmeh - May 23, 2012 - 12:00am


BIR ZEIT, West Bank — At 26, Saed Qasrawi is among the oldest students at Bir Zeit University in the West Bank. The leading Hamas activist has been enrolled for eight years, but he has been unable to complete his undergraduate engineering program because he keeps getting detained by Palestinian security forces before final exams.



American Task Force on Palestine - 1634 Eye St. NW, Suite 725, Washington DC 20006 - Telephone: 202-262-0017