Israel's missed opportunity
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Guardian
by Richard Goldstone - (Opinion) October 21, 2009 - 12:00am

Five weeks after the release of the report of the fact-finding mission on Gaza, there has been no attempt by any of its critics to come to grips with its substance. It has been fulsomely approved by those whose interests it is thought to serve and rejected by those of the opposite view. Those who attack it do so too often by making personal attacks on its authors' motives and those who approve it rely on its authors' reputations.

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Israel Cabinet split over calls for war inquiry
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Independent
by Donald MacIntyre - October 21, 2009 - 12:00am

A meeting of Israel's inner security cabinet yesterday left ministers split over whether to yield to growing diplomatic pressure to hold a major public investigation to deflect the findings of the UN's Goldstone report on last winter's war in Gaza. The meeting postponed any decision on an independent investigation as it emerged that the Defence Minister, Ehud Barak, has so far led opposition to the setting up of an inquiry.

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Ministers set up task force to ease West Bank settlement construction
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Mazal Mualem - October 20, 2009 - 12:00am

The defense and interior ministers agreed on Monday to appoint a task force to facilitate construction in the West Bank. A similar team, which was responsible for establishing the ownership of West Bank lands, operated until about three years ago under the auspices of the Israel Defense Forces' Civil Administration. Officials say the team's work is essential to issuing building permits in the West Bank.

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PM to decide on inquiry committee on Goldstone claims
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews
by Roni Sofer - October 20, 2009 - 12:00am

The Cabinet is set to convene Tuesday morning in order to debate the international battle waged by Israel against the reverberations of the Goldstone Report, which claims Israel committed war crimes in Gaza. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has not yet announced whether he will order the establishment of an inquiry committee on Operation Cast Lead. Meanwhile Defense Minister Ehud Barak and IDF Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi have expressed their objection to such a move while the Justice Ministry said it may lend its support.

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Barak refuses to discuss Gaza probe
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post
by Tovah Lazaroff - October 20, 2009 - 12:00am

The security cabinet on Tuesday did not discuss the matter of establishing an independent inquiry into Operation Cast Lead in Gaza last winter, at the request of Defense Minister Ehud Barak. Barak opposes an Israeli probe into the offensive as a response to the Goldstone Commission's report. Goldstone in Gaza. During the meeting, the security cabinet discussed different ways to deal with the report. Attorney-General Menahem Mazuz gave the cabinet a number of options, including putting together a commission of inquiry.

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Israel pulls textbook with chapter on Nakba
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Or Kashti - October 19, 2009 - 12:00am

The Ministry of Education has taken the unusual step of collecting all copies of the history textbook, "Nationalism: Building a State in the Middle East" which was published about two months ago by the Zalman Shazar Center. They will be returned to the shelves only after corrections are made to the text, particularly with reference to the War of Independence. The book had already been approved by the ministry.

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Will Israel’s ambassador attend J street parley?
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA)
by Ron Kampeas - October 14, 2009 - 12:00am

J Street has lined up plenty of high-profile speakers for its first major conference, but the new and controversial self-described "pro-Israel, pro-peace" lobby is looking to add one more prominent name to the guest list. The organization -- which has backed U.S. pressure on Israel (and the Palestinians), criticized Israel’s invasion of Gaza and criticized more established pro-Israel groups -- wants Michael Oren, the U.S.-born and raised Israeli ambassador to Washington, to attend and address its first major conference at the end of this month. Oren is undecided.

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Israeli Embassy: J Street could ‘impair Israel’s interests’
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA)
October 13, 2009 - 12:00am

An Israeli Embassy spokesman said J Street supports policies that could "impair Israel's interests." Yoni Peled told the Jerusalem Post that the embassy has "communicated to J Street its views on the peace process and on the best way to ensure Israel's security." The embassy told the left-wing pro-Israel organization that "while recognizing the need for a free and open debate on these issues, it is important to stress concern over certain policies that could impair Israel's interests," Peled said, according to the Post.

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Israel sees court rulings on Palestinian land as mere 'recommendations'
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Akiva Eldar - October 13, 2009 - 12:00am

So what if the Supreme Court rules? In Israel those decisions are just recommendations, especially if they deal with Palestinian land. In most enlightened democratic countries, saying that decisions of the courts obligate the state authorities is like stating that the sun rises in the east. But that may not be so for Israel.

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Jerusalem Diary: Monday 12 October
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from BBC News
by Tim Franks - October 12, 2009 - 12:00am

People who work to bring Jews and Arabs together often neither seek nor gain glory. The projects grind on, in the shadows, on the margins, with little reward. But Avi Levy's self-proclaimed work on co-existence is not just handsomely rewarded, it also could not be more out there. Mr Levy, 49, is a pornographer. Eight years ago, along with some business partners, he set up the website Parpar 1 - literally butterfly in Hebrew, but also slang for swinger. In a saturated market, he believes he has identified a niche: Israeli men and women having "real sex", as he describes it.

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