June 16th, 2011

Banning an artist to keep the ambassador happy ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Asharq Alawsat (Opinion) June 15, 2011 - 12:00am In an art exhibit held the Arab World Institute in Paris, the then Iraqi ambassador to France Abdul-Razzak al-Hashimi was seen shaking with rage outside of the gallery and angrily proclaiming that one of the exhibits within the gallery insulted the well-loved President Saddam Hussein. Al-Hashimi was talking about a cartoon by famous Arab cartoonist Ali Farzat which depicts a huge army general pouring military decoration into an empty plate being held by a poor and starving man. Al-Hashimi screamed that he would not move until this cartoon was removed from the art exhibit. » Read more

10 days, 10 months ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Brian Schaefer - (Opinion) June 16, 2011 - 12:00am With June comes stifling summer heat and the French. Perhaps even more visible, or audible, is the endless stream of tour buses out of which tumble thousands of young Americans on whirlwind tours of the country. They’re loud, excited, and wielding cameras like weapons. Ladies and gentlemen, it’s Taglit-Birthright season in Israel. » Read more

Settler arrested for killing Palestinian ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency June 16, 2011 - 12:00am Israeli forces on Wednesday arrested an Israeli settler for the murder of a Palestinian man near Nablus nearly five months ago, Israel's daily news site Ynet reported. According to the report, Israeli police arrested a man residing in Jerusalem, who admitted to shooting an Iraq Burin shepherd, but claimed he did so in self-defense after stones were thrown. Video footage captured from a nearby military base shows an altercation between the settler and two villagers, although the footage was shot from a distance, the site reported. » Read more

Jordan’s King Abdullah II warns Mideast peace prospects are dim ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Washington Post by Joby Warrick - June 16, 2011 - 12:00am The failure of U.S. and international efforts to rekindle Middle East peace talks last month has all but doomed chances for a breakthrough in the near future, Jordan’s King Abdullah II said in an interview in which he warned that the failure may cause the outbreak of a new armed uprising in the Palestinian territories. » Read more

Godspeed to Jerusalem, Glenn Beck ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Larry Derfner - (Opinion) June 15, 2011 - 12:00am The American Right and Israeli Right have become the closest, most natural of allies. The Glenn Beck rally in Jerusalem for Israel, or at least for everything that’s lousy about Israel, is taking shape. According to Wednesday’s Yediot Aharonot, the rally has a name – “Restoring Courage.” Also a date – August 24. Also a place, or places – the Old City and Teddy Stadium. Also, tentatively, some guests of honor – Sarah Palin, Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich, Michele Bachmann and Mike Huckabee. » Read more

And what about statehood? ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency by Daoud Kuttab - (Opinion) June 16, 2011 - 12:00am The Palestinian strategy to achieve statehood is making significance progress among certain international political circles, but it is still lacking the necessary coordination and cohesion to bear the desired results. President Mahmoud Abbas and his West Bank Prime Minister Salam Fayyad have succeeded in detonating the familiar anti-Palestinian arsenal that Israel's public relations teams have employed against Palestinian aspirations. » Read more

June 15th

The Coming Israeli Tsunami? ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Middle East Online by Immanuel Wallerstein - (Opinion) June 15, 2011 - 12:00am The Palestinians are pursuing their project of seeking a formal recognition of their statehood by the United Nations when the General Assembly convenes in the fall. They intend to request a statement that the state exists within the boundary lines as they existed in 1967 before the Israeli-Palestinian war. It is almost certain that the vote will be favorable. The only question at the moment is how favorable. » Read more

Israel’s choice vis-à-vis Palestine’s bid for statehood ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Common Ground News Service by Jerome M. Segal - (Opinion) June 14, 2011 - 12:00am Having despaired of productive negotiations with the Netanyahu government and having lost confidence in the Obama administration, the Palestinians are expected to seek recognition of the State of Palestine from the UN General Assembly (UNGA) in September. Attaining recognition from the General Assembly will be easy, but once recognition is attained, they face the hard part: getting Israel to end the occupation, share Jerusalem, and make a meaningful accommodation on refugees. » Read more

Some Arab-Americans need more of the American ATFP World Press Roundup Article from NOW Lebanon by Hussein Ibish - (Opinion) June 14, 2011 - 12:00am The Arab-American community continues to suffer from the debilitating condition of operating primarily within an Arab rather than an American framework, and of approaching its political mission based on a set of imported imperatives, rivalries and grievances. Far too many prominent people and organizations are driven largely by a derivative agenda, looking for guidance and direction from groups, individuals and governments in the Middle East, thereby rendering themselves woefully ineffective and marginal in their own country. » Read more

Hamas, Fatah should look at bigger picture ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Gulf News (Editorial) June 15, 2011 - 12:00am Continuing reconciliation between the two Palestinian parties of Fatah and Hamas is vital. The slow momentum which has built up since they signed a reconciliation pact on May 4 must not be allowed to stop. An agreed interim government is their main priority, since without such an agreement the Palestinians will not be able to go to the United Nations in September and seek recognition as a state, nor will they be able to seek UN support to end the blockade of Gaza. » Read more