Middle East News: World Press Roundup
NOTE: Due to the upcoming holidays, ATFP's World News Roundup will
resume service on January 3.
NEWS:
Palestinian leaders are reportedly considering a series of actions in
2013 designed to isolate Israel internationally and challenge the
status quo. More than 500 Jewish-American clerics have sent an open
letter to PM Netanyahu expressing concern Israel's latest settlement
plans would destroy hopes for a two-state solution. Israel formally
complains to the UN about the rearming of Hezbollah. A new film about
Palestinian angst over suicide bombings is gaining international
attention. Palestinian refugees in northern Lebanon organize a sit-in
at local UNRWA offices. Some members of Israel's Labour Party complain
it is shifting too far to the right. The Arab League chief will visit
the occupied West Bank to discuss aid to the cash-strapped PA. Likud
party members say international criticism over new settlement plans
helps them politically. Israel's occupation and the recent Gaza
conflict are hampering tourism this Christmas season in Bethlehem. Two
Palestinians break into an Israeli military base and steal a weapon.
COMMENTARY:
The New York Times strongly criticizes Israel's settlement expansion
plans and withholding of Palestinian tax revenues. The Boston Globe
agrees Israel's policies are a blow to hopes for peace. Mustafa
Barghouthi argues that if Israel goes ahead with settlement plans, it
will kill the two-state solution and force Palestinians to seek other
options. Abraham Foxman complains Pres. Abbas is sending mixed
messages on peace. Ha'aretz calls the recent decision to try to bar a
Palestinian MK from reelection, for participating in the Gaza
flotilla, "unacceptable." Amnon Be’eri-Sulitzeanu and Mohammad
Darawshe say it's essential that the Knesset maintain Arab
representation. The Jerusalem Post insists Israel's settlement
building is no obstacle to peace and entirely blames Palestinian
"intransigence." The National says it makes sense for Palestinians to
explore an international strategy, but cautiously. Marwan Kabalan says
Pres. Obama must stand up to Israel on settlements.
AP Exclusive: Palestinians aim to isolate Israel
Article Author(s):
Mohammed Daraghmeh
Media Outlet:
Associated Press
Religion: Rabbis Oppose Israeli Plan in Disputed Area
Article Author(s):
Laurie Goodstein
Media Outlet:
The New York Times
Israel complains to UN about rearming by Hezbollah
Israel's U.N. envoy urged the Security Council on Thursday to condemn what he described as significant rearming by Hezbollah, saying the Lebanese militant group now possessed an arsenal of tens of thousands of missiles capable of hitting Israel.
Israeli Arab wrestles with grief, guilt in suicide bomb film
When Universal Studios took a disliking to the script for Ziad Doueiri's Israeli-Palestinian suicide bombing drama, the Lebanese director thought his career was over.
Palestinian refugees organize sit-in at UN offices in Lebanon
A sit-in, near the UN Relief and Work Agency (UNRWA) office in al-Baddawi refugee camp in northern Lebanon's port city of Tripoli, was held Thursday by the Palestinians refugees who fled the Yarmuk refugee camp in Syria's Damascus, the National News Agency (NNA) reported.
In Israel, Labor Party chief's shift to the right causes dissent
Article Author(s):
Edmund Sanders
Media Outlet:
The Los Angeles Times
Official: Arab League chief to visit Palestine
Media Outlet:
Ma'an News Agency
Arab League Secretary-General Nabil al-Arabi will visit Palestine on Dec. 29 to meet with President Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian Authority foreign minister said Friday.
Riyad al-Malki said al-Arabi would discuss the financial safety net pledged by the Arab League to the Palestinian Authority to ease the West Bank government's financial crisis.
As election nears, Likud revels in UN, U.S. censure of Israeli settlements
Article Author(s):
Yossi Verter
Members of Likud say mounting criticism from the international arena regarding what they call “building in Jerusalem” is good for the party. After authorization this week of construction in Ramat Shlomo, in the northern part of East Jerusalem, a senior Likud source called the condemnation “excellent − it is sheer profit for us.”
Israeli Occupation, Gaza Conflict Hold Back Tourism in Bethlehem
Article Author(s):
Dalia Hatuqa
With Christmas eve approaching, Palestinians are praying that tourists and pilgrims will make their way in large numbers to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ in Bethlehem.
Two Palestinians break into IDF base, assault soldier and steal his weapon
Article Author(s):
Gili Cohen
Two Palestinians broke into an IDF base, attacked a soldier and stole his weapon before fleeing the scene early Friday morning.
The Fading Mideast Peace Dream
Media Outlet:
The New York Times
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s aggressive new push to expand settlements in the West Bank and Jerusalem further isolates Israel while diminishing fading hopes for a two-state solution with the Palestinians.
Israeli settlement plan is a blow to Mideast peace process
Media Outlet:
The Boston Globe
Israel's settlement push kills two-state solution, leaving Palestinians few options
Article Author(s):
Mustafa Barghouthi
Media Outlet:
The Christian Science Monitor
Abbas, sending mixed messages is not peacemaking
Article Author(s):
Abraham H. Foxman
Read the op-ed page of most newspapers around the world, and you would be convinced that Israel’s leadership, policies and ideology are to blame for the moribund state of Israeli-Palestinian relations. If only Israel took dramatic action (usually involving a change in its approach to settlements) to demonstrate it is truly committed to reaching peace - according to those opinion-makers - all the rest would neatly fall into place.
An unacceptable disqualification
The Central Elections Committee's decision to bar MK Hanin Zuabi (Balad) from running in the upcoming election is arbitrary and unacceptable. Zuabi was an active and successful MK, and even her participation in a Turkish-sponsored protest flotilla to Gaza in 2010 is not an excuse for disqualifying her.
If parliament has no Arabs
Article Author(s):
Mohammad Darawshe
Building blocs
Media Outlet:
The Jerusalem Post
The present Likud-Yisrael Beytenu-led government – which according to all recent polls will remain in office after the 22 election – has been bombarded with condemnations from home and from abroad for in Jerusalem and in consensus settlement blocs.
Not only European nations traditionally critical of Israel but also allies such as the US and Germany have issued strongly worded denunciations of the housing projects. Even Tzipi Livni, head of a new party bearing her name, and Yesh Atid’s Yair Lapid have weighed in against the building.
Palestinians need to rally support of allies at the UN
Media Outlet:
The National
Obama must not bend to Israeli pressure
Article Author(s):
Marwan Kabalan
Links:
[1] http://www.americantaskforce.org/print/29539
[2] http://www.americantaskforce.org/printmail/29539
[3] http://www.americantaskforce.org/printpdf/29539
[4] http://www.americantaskforce.org/rss/wpr
[5] https://www.americantaskforce.org/civicrm/contribute/transact?reset=1&id=1
[6] http://www.statesman.com/ap/ap/top-news/ap-exclusive-palestinians-aim-to-isolate-israel/nTbzs/
[7] http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/21/us/religion-rabbis-oppose-israeli-plan-in-disputed-area.html?ref=middleeast&_r=2&
[8] http://www.trust.org/alertnet/news/israel-complains-to-un-about-rearming-by-hezbollah/
[9] http://www.trust.org/alertnet/news/israeli-arab-wrestles-with-grief-guilt-in-suicide-bomb-film/
[10] http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/world/2012-12/21/c_132054124.htm
[11] http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/middleeast/la-fg-israel-election-labor-20121220,0,2388921.story
[12] http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=549933
[13] http://www.haaretz.com/news/national/as-election-nears-likud-revels-in-un-u-s-censure-of-israeli-settlements.premium-1.486208
[14] http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2012/al-monitor/christmas-bethlehem.html
[15] http://www.catholicculture.org/news/headlines/index.cfm?storyid=16594
[16] http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/two-palestinians-break-into-idf-base-assault-soldier-and-steal-his-weapon.premium-1.486335
[17] http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/21/opinion/the-fading-mideast-peace-dream.html?ref=opinion
[18] http://bostonglobe.com/opinion/editorials/2012/12/21/construction-plan-wrong-turn-for-israel/asnohetNuHwHo45An8fWQK/story.html
[19] http://www.csmonitor.com/Commentary/Opinion/2012/1220/Israel-s-settlement-push-kills-two-state-solution-leaving-Palestinians-few-options
[20] http://www.haaretz.com/opinion/abbas-sending-mixed-messages-is-not-peacemaking.premium-1.486191
[21] http://www.haaretz.com/opinion/an-unacceptable-disqualification-1.486242
[22] http://www.haaretz.com/opinion/if-parliament-has-no-arabs.premium-1.486246
[23] http://www.jpost.com/Opinion/Editorials/Article.aspx?id=296810
[24] http://www.thenational.ae/thenationalconversation/editorial/palestinians-need-to-rally-support-of-allies-at-the-un
[25] http://gulfnews.com/opinions/columnists/obama-must-not-bend-to-israeli-pressure-1.1121712
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