May 7th, 2008

Villagers Fight For Promised Land ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Inter Press Service (IPS) by Zack Baddorf - May 7, 2008 - 6:54pm The Israeli High Court of Justice ordered the government Sep. 4 to re-route the controversial separation barrier built by Israel in the West Bank that divides Bi'lin from 60 percent of its agricultural land. The judges ruled that the current wall placement is "highly prejudicial" to the village residents, and not necessary for "security-military reasons." » Read more

Palestinians See Peace Deal Delay If Olmert Quits ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters by Mohammed Assadi - May 7, 2008 - 6:52pm A Palestinian negotiator said on Wednesday any peace deal with Israel would be delayed if a police investigation of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert forced his resignation and a new election was held. Saeb Erekat described the case as an internal Israeli matter but said Palestinians were following developments closely. "If they decide to hold a new election then we will be late another year. If (Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi) Livni takes over, we will remain the same," Erekat said, referring to Olmert's designated deputy. » Read more

Israel Throws Birthday Bash As Jets Strike Gaza Targets ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Associated Press May 7, 2008 - 6:51pm Israel last night kicked off week-long unprecedented celebrations to commemorate its creation 60 years ago on the land of Palestine. The celebrations started hours after Israeli tanks and bulldozers rumbled into the southern Gaza Strip, while military jets struck a series of Palestinian targets. One Palestinian was killed and at least 14 were wounded in the fighting, according to witnesses. » Read more

The Near Impossibility Of A Mideast Peace ATFP World Press Roundup Article from International Herald Tribune by Eran Yashiv - (Opinion) May 7, 2008 - 6:50pm With Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice visiting Israel this week and President George W. Bush expected next week, talks about peace between Israel and the Palestinians are on the agenda yet again. This elusive peace is widely proclaimed as both essential and achievable. But while the former is true and desirable, the latter is a widespread misperception. The solution to the conflict exists and is well known, but it cannot be implemented in the foreseeable future. » Read more

As It Turns 60, The Fear Is Israel Has Decided It Can Get By Without Peace ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Guardian by Jonathan Freedland - (Opinion) May 7, 2008 - 6:49pm n the wee small hours on Israeli television, they show reruns of what was once a staple form of mass entertainment: kibbutz choirs - the men in pressed work shirts, the women in peasant skirts - singing Hebrew folk melodies exalting the Land of Israel, while a smiling audience joins in. The pictures were black and white, the sets cardboard, and the programmes interminable - a socialist-realist tableau of a simple farming nation engaged in wholesome, patriotic amusement. » Read more

Palestinian Police Clash With Militants In West Bank ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Los Angeles Times by Richard Bourdreaux - May 7, 2008 - 6:43pm Palestinian policemen dispatched last week to an unruly West Bank district clashed Tuesday with Islamic militants there, wounding two of them during a crackdown that could influence peace talks with Israel. It was the first such confrontation since 480 police reinforcements clad in black and khaki uniforms marched into the city of Jenin before thousands of cheering residents Saturday to launch "Operation Smile and Hope." » Read more

After 60 Years, Arabs In Israel Are Outsiders ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times by Ethan Bronner - May 7, 2008 - 6:43pm As Israel toasts its 60th anniversary in the coming weeks, rejoicing in Jewish national rebirth and democratic values, the Arabs who make up 20 percent of its citizens will not be celebrating. Better off and better integrated than ever in their history, freer than a vast majority of other Arabs, Israel’s 1.3 million Arab citizens are still far less well off than Israeli Jews and feel increasingly unwanted. » Read more

May 5th

It's Time For Livni ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Akiva Eldar - (Opinion) May 5, 2008 - 5:34pm As expected, Ehud Olmert stated yesterday at the start of the cabinet meeting that, "I have an agenda as prime minister of Israel, I intend to carry out this agenda, and continue conducting the meetings and performing the tasks I have to do." In other words, he intends to continue the agenda according to which part of his time is spent with investigators and lawyers, and the rest with Mahmoud Abbas and Condoleezza Rice. » Read more

Don't Brand J-street As Anti-zionist ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by David Kimche - (Opinion) May 5, 2008 - 5:33pm We tend to make our political calculations based on situations we know, based on the past, and not on changes that are happening before our eyes. Don Rumsfeld once wrote the following delightful truism: There are known knowns. There are things we know we know. We also know there are known unknowns. That is to say we know there are some things we do not know. But there are also unknown unknowns, the ones we don't know we don't know. » Read more

Time For National Turning Point ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Alon Ben-meir - (Opinion) May 5, 2008 - 5:30pm As Israelis finalize preparations for their momentous 60th anniversary - a date marking 10 years of consistent economic growth and industrious expansion - there remains the underlying question that will go unanswered yet another decade: What will be done with the West Bank and Golan Heights? Despite all of its considerable achievements, cross-border violence persists and Israel's existence remains fundamentally insecure. » Read more