Israeli leadership outraged at Jewish extremists' raid on army site
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Los Angeles Times
by Batsheva Sobelman - December 13, 2011 - 1:00am

REPORTING FROM JERUSALEM -- Throwing rocks, burning tires and carrying out other assaults on the Israeli military are not unheard of in the West Bank. But the incident Monday night registered loudly with Israeli authorities: The attackers were Jewish extremists. Dozens of right-wing militants who support the settlement movement infiltrated an army regional division headquarters in the West Bank, set tires on fire, vandalized vehicles and scattered nails on the road. Senior officers also were attacked with rocks.

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Amid tensions with allies abroad, Netanyahu shoring up power at home
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA)
by Matthew Wagner - December 13, 2011 - 1:00am

JERUSALEM (JTA) -- He may be a lightning rod for criticism abroad, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is consolidating power at home. On Dec. 5, Netanyahu announced that elections for leadership of his Likud Party would be held Jan. 31. The decision came as something of a surprise; primaries in Israel were expected to be held closer to the next general elections, which are set for October 2013.

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Encountering Peace: Half-way there
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post
by Gershon Baskin - (Opinion) December 13, 2011 - 1:00am

‘I am very pessimistic on the future of Israel. The trends in general mood in Israel, US, worldwide are towards polarization, conflict and pessimism, and all is made worse by the worsening worldwide financial problems which I expect to end in a depression pretty much everywhere. I don’t expect Israel to avoid war with considerable casualties and damage.”

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Netanyahu's biggest test
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews
by Sallai Meridor - (Opinion) December 13, 2011 - 1:00am

During my service as the Israeli ambassador to the United States I often leaned on Israeli democracy, our freedom of speech and equality among the sexes to promote Israel's status. The congressmen who opened their doors and their hearts to me did so because they believed they were meeting with someone representing the only democracy in the Middle East. Their constituents, Americans who are currently facing rising unemployment and both a national and a private recession, continue to support the US' alignment with Israel – even when they are the only ones in the world to do so.

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Newt, Mitt, Bibi and Vladimir
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times
by Thomas L. Friedman - (Opinion) December 13, 2011 - 1:00am

I have a simple motto when it comes to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. I love both Israelis and Palestinians, but God save me from some of their American friends — those who want to love them to death, literally. That thought came to mind last week when Newt Gingrich took the Republican competition to grovel for Jewish votes — by outloving Israel — to a new low by suggesting that the Palestinians are an “invented” people and not a real nation entitled to a state.

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Israel Turning Into Theocracy
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jewish Daily Forward
by Eric Alterman - (Opinion) December 12, 2011 - 1:00am

It is becoming increasingly obvious that a break between Israel and Diaspora Jewry, particularly its American variety, is fast approaching. The reason for this is that Israel is slowly but inexorably turning into a conservative theocracy while the Diaspora is largely dedicated to liberal democracy.

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Fighting democracy's erosion
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from
by Sami Michael - (Opinion) December 11, 2011 - 1:00am

There is a special atmosphere marking this year's Human Rights Day. On the one hand, we're witnessing an awakening and a determined fight for freedom and against corruption, from Morocco, through Yemen and Syria to Israel.

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In Race to Moon, Israel Thinks Small
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Media Line
by David Rosenberg - December 8, 2011 - 1:00am

They aren’t planning to put the first Israeli on the Moon. But they do want to plant the country’s flag there, send a robot on a 500-meter or so stroll past some craters and send pictures back home. Along the way, they want to inspire the next generation of Israelis to pursue science and technology and show the world Israel’s tech abilities. And they want to do this employing innovative and often untried technology all in the space of two years and on a budget that NASA would regard as petty cash.

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Human rights in Israel are in jeopardy
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
(Editorial) December 6, 2011 - 1:00am

Today, December 6, the Israeli legislature will mark Human Rights Day (scheduled for December 10 ) ahead of many parliaments in the world with a series of events, meetings and debates. On this date in 1948 the UN General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The declaration was drafted in the shadow of the Holocaust horrors and in view of millions of homeless refugees.

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Netanyahu calls for Likud vote in move linked to US outlook
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency
by Reuters - December 5, 2011 - 1:00am

JERUSALEM (Reuters) -- Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called for a snap Likud party leadership vote, officials said on Monday, a contest he is expected to win and which could pave the way for an early national election in Israel. Some commentators said Netanyahu was quietly preparing for the possibility that US President Barack Obama, with whom he has had a testy relationship, will win a second term in November, a year before Israel's currently scheduled ballot.

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