July 26th, 2011

Colonising with impunity ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jordan Times (Editorial) July 26, 2011 - 12:00am There was hardly any international reaction, or an even Arab reaction for that matter, to the latest Israeli plan to build hundreds of housing units in the West Bank. The Palestinian Authority did voice some concern but it was also muted. It is as if the world has become numb when hearing news about Israeli plans to construct yet more and more houses or apartments on Palestinian land even when they are intended to be located in the heart of the Palestinian territory. » Read more

Encountering Peace: In search of a rational discourse ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Gershon Baskin - (Opinion) July 26, 2011 - 12:00am Despite the threats of a US veto and a congressional decision to cease US financial support to the Palestinian Authority, the Palestinian leadership is resolute to bring the issue of Palestinian statehood to the United Nations. » Read more

Question of Birth Becomes One of President’s Power ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times by Adam Liptak - July 25, 2011 - 12:00am WASHINGTON — Menachem Zivotofsky was born in Jerusalem. But was he born in Israel? Congress says yes. In 2002, it directed the State Department to “record the place of birth as Israel” in passports of American children born in Jerusalem if their parents ask. President George W. Bush signed that bill about three weeks before Menachem was born. But Mr. Bush also said he would not obey it. » Read more

Israel’s ‘threat’ to void the Oslo Accords will only harm Netanyahu ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Akiva Eldar - (Opinion) July 26, 2011 - 12:00am On Monday, Barak Ravid revealed to readers of this newspaper that the Prime Minister's Office in Jerusalem was considering punishing the Palestinians for their declaration of statehood by scrapping the Oslo Accords. Take part in our poll on this topic on the Haaretz.com Facebook page This "threat" is akin to a fellow saying he'll cut off his own nose to spite someone else's face. If the Oslo Accords did not exist, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would have had to invent them. » Read more

There is no Arab left-wing in Israel ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Salman Masalha - (Opinion) July 26, 2011 - 12:00am There's no left without Arabs, states Oudeh Basharat (Haaretz, July 19), adding: "Had the 11 MKs of the Hadash faction and the Arab factions evaporated during the vote on the Boycott Law, the difference in favor of supporters of the law would have increased from nine to 20 votes." » Read more

July 25th

Israel’s opportunity to stop a train wreck ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Boston Globe by James Carroll - (Opinion) July 18, 2011 - 12:00am EVER SINCE outgoing Middle East envoy George Mitchell used the phrase “train wreck’’ with Charlie Rose in May, it has become jargon for what will happen in September when the Palestinian leadership goes to the United Nations seeking “full membership for the state of Palestine.” The Netanyahu government is so gravely threatened that it has made opposition to the UN affirmation of Palestinian independence a litmus test of loyalty to Israel. A catastrophe looms. » Read more

Force and anti-force in the United Nations ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Gidi Grinstein - (Opinion) July 24, 2011 - 12:00am Israel and the Palestinians may be advancing toward understandings with regard to recognition of Palestinian statehood in 2011. While it seems that both parties are determinedly heading toward confrontation, this outcome is made possible by the powerful interests that are at stake. » Read more

Political Elites Have Failed Israelis and Palestinians ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Huffington Post by Howard Sumka - (Opinion) July 24, 2011 - 12:00am Weeks away from the anticipated and highly contentious United Nations General Assembly vote on Palestinian statehood, it's timely to ask what went wrong and what might move the issue in a better direction. Despite fears of the Palestinian streets reacting in frustration, it is appropriate now to look to the street for the solution. » Read more

Jews Want Obama To Do More for Mideast Peace ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jewish Week by Douglas Bloomfield - (Analysis) July 24, 2011 - 12:00am Jews give President Obama a higher overall job approval than most other voters although they're still unhappy with his handling of the economy and don't think he's doing enough to broker Middle East peace. But that doesn't mean they're ready to vote for someone else next year, according to a survey of 800 Jews earlier this month for J Street. » Read more

America’s attempted Quartet sophistry ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Foreign Policy by Daniel Levy - (Opinion) July 22, 2011 - 12:00am As more information seeps out from the Quartet principals meeting held in Washington on July 11, it becomes harder not to reach the conclusion that American policy on Israel-Palestine is now being driven almost exclusively by a desire to prevent any possible U.N. vote on the matter in the Autumn. Reading the draft text proposed as a Quartet statement by the U.S. (the text is not yet public, but the authenticity of the draft described here has been reliably confirmed) and rejected by the EU, Russia, and the U.N. Secretary General entrenches that conclusion -- and worse, that the U.S. » Read more