May 25th

Building an Ark in Gaza ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Media Line by Arieh O'Sullivan - May 25, 2012 - 12:00am As Amnesty International blasted Israel in its annual report for maintaining its naval blockade on Gaza, a group of Canadians have announced they plan to build a “Gaza Ark” with the Palestinians aimed at breaking out of the coastal strip. » Read more

Peace Now: Investigate MKs for incitement to violence ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Moran Azulay - May 25, 2012 - 12:00am "I do not condone violence and never have," said MK Miri Regev (Likud) on Thursday morning after calling infiltrators "a cancer in our society" during a violent protest in south Tel Aviv on Wednesday. » Read more

Amnesty International: Israel frequently uses excessive force against Palestinians ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz May 24, 2012 - 12:00am The Amnesty International 2012 annual report was released on Wednesday, detailing the violation of human rights worldwide. The report is highly critical of Israeli policies toward the Palestinians, charging that the Israel Defense Forces frequently uses excessive, sometimes lethal, force against demonstrators in the West Bank and civilians in Gaza. The IDF this year has killed 55 civilians in the West Bank and Gaza, including 11 children, the report said. » Read more

Netanyahu condemns violence against African migrants, promises to solve problem ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Barak Ravid - May 25, 2012 - 12:00am Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu promised on Thursday that his government would address the issue of African migrants in Israel, one day after a protest against them by residents of south Tel Aviv turned violent. "The infiltrator problem must be solved, and we will solve it," Netanyahu said on Thursday afternoon, speaking at an event in Tel Aviv. » Read more

U.S. report criticizes Israel's treatment of African migrants ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Natasha Mozgovaya - May 25, 2012 - 12:00am Secretary of State Hilary Clinton presented on Thursday the State Department's 2011 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices that criticizes Israel for its treatment of African migrants, an issue vigorously debated in Israeli public discourse lately. The report states that Sudanese and Eritrean asylum seekers, which are about 85 percent of African migrants in Israel "were not allowed access to asylum procedures but were given renewable 'conditional release' documents that deferred deportation and had to be renewed every few months." » Read more

PA: Settlers torch farmland near Nablus ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency May 25, 2012 - 12:00am NABLUS (Ma'an) -- Israeli settlers on Thursday torched farmland near Nablus in the northern West Bank, a PA official said. Ghassan Doughlas told Ma'an that residents of Yitzhar settlement set fire to large swathes of agricultural land in Madma village. Witnesses told Ma'an that villagers clashed with the settlers and that Israeli forces intervened and detained two Palestinians, Ahmad Nassar, 20, and Muhammad Nassar, 23. An Israeli army spokeswoman said soldiers and border police were called to the area but she said there were no detentions. » Read more

Abbas: Palestinians in Lebanon should disarm ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency May 25, 2012 - 12:00am BEIRUT (Ma'an) -- President Mahmoud Abbas said Thursday that Palestinians in Lebanon should not arm themselves, as they are under the protection of the Lebanese state and its military, local media reported. “The weapons of Palestinians in Lebanon are illegitimate. We do not want them inside or outside camps. We respect the law and we are [under] the protection of the Lebanese state and army,” Abbas was quoted as saying. » Read more

U.S. to reaffirm commitment to Israel's security ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters May 25, 2012 - 12:00am WASHINGTON, May 24 (Reuters) - A senior State Department official will travel to Tel Aviv on Friday to reaffirm the U.S. commitment to Israel's security following just-concluded talks between world powers and Iran over its nuclear program. Wendy Sherman, undersecretary of state for political affairs, will discuss bilateral and regional issues with senior Israeli officials during her visit, the State Department said in a statement on Thursday. » Read more

Israeli court: Reconsider Gaza student travel ban ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press May 25, 2012 - 12:00am JERUSALEM — Israel's Supreme Court has ordered the military to reconsider its ban on Gaza residents studying in the West Bank. The court posted its decision Thursday, implying it would order a change. The Israeli military has 45 days to respond. Sari Bashi, head of the Israeli human rights group Gisha who was involved in petitioning the court, said this was the first time such a ruling has been made. » Read more

Israel steps up security ties with China ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press by Josef Federman - May 25, 2012 - 12:00am JERUSALEM — After a prolonged chill, security ties between Israel and China are warming up. With Israel offering much-needed technical expertise and China representing a huge new market and influential voice in the international debate over Iran's nuclear program, the two nations have stepped up military cooperation as they patch up a rift caused by a pair of failed arms deals scuttled by the U.S. » Read more