June 15th, 2011

From Arab Spring comes a new form of Palestinian unity ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The National by Joseph Dana, Jesse Rosenfeld - (Opinion) June 15, 2011 - 12:00am On June 5, when Palestinian protesters tried to march from Ramallah to Jerusalem in observation of the 44th anniversary of Israel's 1967 occupation, they were sent scrambling amidst clouds of Israeli tear gas and hailing rubber bullets. Hours later on the Syrian border, Israeli soldiers responded to a separate demonstration by killing 23 unarmed Palestinian refugees, who were also trying to exercise their right of return. » Read more

European Parliament: East Jerusalem should be Palestinian capital ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz June 15, 2011 - 12:00am The European Parliament supports the creation of a Palestinian state within the 1967 borders with agreed land swaps, its president said Wednesday. It embraced the vision for peace in the Middle East as outlined by U.S. President Barack Obama in a May 19 address in Washington, European Parliament President Jerzy Buzek said. Addressing the Knesset in Jerusalem, Buzek however reiterated direct peace negotiations were the "only solution." » Read more

Don’t blame UNRWA ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Chris Gunness - (Editorial) June 14, 2011 - 12:00am Ynetnews’ recent article, “The Arab refugee swindle” by Moshe Dann, fundamentally fails to understand international law, UNRWA’s mandate and its day-to-day operations. All refugee communities, whether those under the care of UNRWA or UNHCR, have their refugee status passed through the generations while their plight remains unresolved. Refugees in Kenya administered by UNHCR are a good example. In this regard, the accusation that UNRWA uniquely perpetuates the Palestine refugee problem is ignorant of international refugee law and practice. » Read more

Angels perceived as devils ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Nathan Englander - June 15, 2011 - 12:00am Tony Kushner doesn't mind the heat. He grew up in Louisiana, and he's long used to it by now. So when I ask him to sit outside on a stifling Manhattan morning already edging toward 100 degrees, he's more than happy to oblige. » Read more

Israel Navy rehearses raid ahead of new Gaza-bound flotilla ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua June 15, 2011 - 12:00am JERUSALEM, June 15 (Xinhua) -- The Israel Navy on Wednesday held an exercise incorporating several special forces units as part of ongoing preparations to prevent an international aid flotilla from reaching the Gaza Strip in the coming weeks. The organizers of "Freedom Flotilla 2," to include 15 ships and some 1,500 pro-Palestinian activists, plan to set sail from European ports later this month and are expected to approach Gaza coast in the first week of July. » Read more

Myth of indefensible borders ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Daniel Nisman, Avi Yesawich - (Opinion) June 14, 2011 - 12:00am Individuals who claim the 1967 borders are indefensible ignore the overarching paradigm shift of the Israeli-Arab conflict that has taken place over the last decade. The political outcry in Israel following Obama’s Mideast policy speech was palpable. The president stated what many Israeli hawks found to be unacceptable, if not outright dangerous: Any future Israeli-Palestinian agreement should be based on the 1967 borders with mutually agreed upon land swaps. Hysteria followed, with Netanyahu issuing a clear rebuke to Obama’s statement during his speech at the US Congress. » Read more

'UN says Syria allowed Naksa Day border crossings' ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post June 15, 2011 - 12:00am Report on Naksa, Nakba clashes on northern border says Syria didn't organize the demonstrations but Syrian armed forces were always nearby. Syrian armed forces allowed Palestinian demonstrators to cross the Israel-Syrian border in the Golan Heights during Nakba and Naksa Day protests, a United Nations report released on Wednesday said, AFP reported. » Read more

Israel expects new Lebanese Cabinet to keep truce ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Statesman June 15, 2011 - 12:00am Israel says it expects Lebanon's new government to honor the truce that ended the 2006 summer war between Israeli troops and the Lebanese militant Hezbollah group. Lebanon this week formed a Cabinet dominated by Hezbollah and its allies. The move capped Hezbollah's steady rise over decades from a guerrilla group fighting Israel to Lebanon's most powerful military and political force. In Israel's first official comment on the new Cabinet on Wednesday, the Foreign Ministry said Israel expects the Lebanese government to honor the U.N. Security Council resolution that ended the 2006 war. » Read more

PM: Palestinians won't compromise if all demands are met ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Gil Hoffman, Hilary Leila Krieger, Tovah Lazaroff - June 15, 2011 - 12:00am Netanyahu tells Jerzy Buzek 30 UN states should oppose Palestinian statehood bid; US, EU officials in Israel work to stop UN move. If the Palestinians obtain all of their requests and the UN General Assembly recognizes a Palestinian state, it will be difficult to get the Palestinian leadership to accept necessary compromises in peace negotiations, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said Tuesday night. Netanyahu made the comments during a meeting with President of the European Parliament Jerzy Buzek in Jerusalem. » Read more

US envoys try to renew Israeli-Palestinian talks ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Statesman by Tia Goldenberg - June 15, 2011 - 12:00am Senior U.S. diplomats have returned to the Middle East for an unannounced visit to try to find a way to restart Israeli-Palestinian peace talks that collapsed last year and now face new challenges. Dennis Ross and David Hale's visit, confirmed by an Israeli official Wednesday, is their first to the region since special Mideast envoy George Mitchell resigned last month after failing to break the negotiations deadlock. » Read more