June 21st, 2011

In Gaza, border opening brings little relief ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press by Ibrahim Barzak - June 21, 2011 - 12:00am The reopening of the Gaza Strip's main border crossing with Egypt brought widespread relief to Palestinians suffering from a four-year blockade. But one month later, some 20,000 people are on a wait list and despair is growing in this crowded territory. Residents still must apply for travel permits, and the first available dates to cross are in late August. Frustrated travelers gather at the crossing each day, clutching medical reports, foreign residency permits and university registration documents in hopes of persuading the authorities to let them through. » Read more

Netanyahu: Israel needs to separate from the Palestinians ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Barak Ravid - June 21, 2011 - 12:00am Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu surprised many of the participants in the weekly cabinet meeting Sunday when he embarked on a monologue praising the idea of parting from the Palestinians and in relinquishing portions of the West Bank. Netanyahu said the number of Palestinians and Jews between the Jordan River and the sea "is irrelevant" and that it's more important to "preserve a solid Jewish majority inside the State of Israel." » Read more

The UN bid: A historic opportunity ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Arab News by Jeff Halper - (Opinion) June 20, 2011 - 12:00am No one knows the precise plans of the Palestinian Authority (PA) vis-a-vis September: Will President Mahmoud Abbas declare a Palestinian state within recognized borders and ask that it be admitted as a full member of the UN - or not? Perhaps Abbas himself does not know. Now political leaders often make decisions alone or in consultation with a small group of advisers. As in so many matters political, however, the Palestinian leadership finds itself in a unique situation. » Read more

Opinion poll shows Fayyad favored for PM ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency June 21, 2011 - 12:00am A poll conducted by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research found the majority of Palestinians would prefer Salam Fayyad as prime minister and Mahmoud Abbas as president. The results of the poll, released Monday, also showed that reconciliation talks had improved the public perception of Hamas more than Fatah. » Read more

Settlers cultivate W.Bank tourism to tighten grip on land ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Alertnet by Maayan Lubell - June 20, 2011 - 12:00am The bulletproof van is extra. Welcome to the Israeli-occupied West Bank, where Jewish settlements built on land Palestinians seek for a state are opening their gates to foreign tourists and Israeli visitors. A one-day tour, booked through a regional settler council, costs $50. An additional $80 secures the armoured bus. Palestinians, or "local Arabs" in the words of settlers who spoke to one group of visitors, are not on the itinerary. » Read more

The greening of Palestine ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Gershon Baskin - (Opinion) June 20, 2011 - 12:00am Palestine may soon become the newest nation on the planet. » Read more

Middle East peace needs fresh thinking ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Gulf News by Khalaf Al Habtoor - (Opinion) June 21, 2011 - 12:00am Israel's first Prime Minister David Ben Gurion tried to reassure Israelis that Palestinians would never return to their homes. "We must do everything to ensure they never do return… The old will die and the young will forget," he said. He was wrong; the word ‘forget' isn't in the Palestinians' lexicon. For 63 long years, they've borne hardships, suffered humiliation and fought for freedom with nothing but stones and bare hands. But, sadly, they not only face a cruel adversary, their own leaders have let them down. » Read more

Ashkenazi: Palestine is inevitable, UN state bid is not ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post June 20, 2011 - 12:00am Former IDF chief of General Staff Gabi Ashkenazi said that a Palestinian state is "inevitable," and that Israel must take an active stance in seeking to reengage the Palestinian leadership in order to avoid a unilaterally declared Palestine in the UN this September, Army Radio reported Monday. Speaking at an event in Toronto, Ashkenazi said that Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's government could still avoid the UN Palestinian state bid if Israel opened up negotiations again with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. » Read more

Meir Dagan required to return diplomatic passport ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post June 19, 2011 - 12:00am The government demanded that former Mossad chief Meir Dagan turn in his diplomatic passport, an unusual request that follows controversial remarks by Dagan in which he criticized the country's leadership for its treatment of the Iranian threat, Channel 2 reported. Dagan had requested to keep the passport because of a slate of upcoming trips he had planned outside of the country, but his request was denied, according to the report. The diplomatic passport offers, among other benefits, diplomatic immunity. » Read more

Obama tells Jewish donors he strongly backs Israel ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters by Patricia Zengerle - June 20, 2011 - 12:00am U.S. President Barack Obama reassured Jewish donors on Monday he strongly supports Israel, stressing close ties between the United States and the Jewish state, but also emphasizing that changes in the Middle East will require a fresh look at the region. "Both the United States and Israel are going to have to look at this new landscape with fresh eyes. It's not going to be sufficient for us just to keep on doing the same things," Obama said at the first of two big-ticket fund-raisers where he was speaking on Monday evening. » Read more