How Israel is becoming a settler state
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Arab News
by Uri Avnery - (Opinion) April 17, 2011 - 12:00am

THE OTHER day, the almighty General Security Service (Shabak, formerly Shin Bet) needed a new boss. It is a hugely important job, because no minister ever dares to contradict the advice of the Shabak chief in Cabinet meetings. There was an obvious candidate, known only as J. But at the last moment, the settlers' lobby was mobilized. As director of the "Jewish department" J. had put some Jewish terrorists in prison. So his candidature was rejected and Yoram Cohen, a kippah-wearing darling of the settlers was appointed instead.

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The new Christian settlers
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews
by Yair Altman - April 14, 2011 - 12:00am

About 1,000 Americans have signed a document requesting to convert to Judaism, move to Israel, and settle in Samaria. The group members are seeking to serve in the IDF and later establish communities based on the Kibbutz movement model. The document was presented to Yisrael Beiteinu Knesset Member Lia Shemtov, who met with the group's representative last week and promised to offer her help in facilitating the initiative. The Christian group's representative, Baruch Abramovich, said he was hopeful that MK Shemtov would be able to elicit the government's support for the initiative.

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Israeli settlers wound one Palestinian in West Bank
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua
April 14, 2011 - 12:00am

A Palestinian was wounded Thursday after Israeli settlers hit him on the head with an ax near Ramallah city in the West Bank, a Palestinian official said. Mohammed Ibrahim, head of Turmoseya's council, where the incident happened, said settlers attacked a number of people working on their lands and beat a youth with an ax, causing head injury to him. The injured was taken to hospital and in stable condition, he added. There has been no comment from Israel on the incident.

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UK sends observer to Jerusalem zoning cmte. meeting
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews
by Ronen Medzini - April 14, 2011 - 12:00am

The British Embassy sent an observer to a recent meeting held by Jerusalem's District Planning and Building committee, Ynet learned Thursday. The committee holds weekly meetings to discuss and advance various municipal plans, meant to promote the welfare of all Jerusalemites, but while other municipal committees of this nature are purely professional, the capital's zoning committee's activities are perceived as political. Jerusalem's committee has the power to green-light building permits beyond the Green Line. Such moves are often subject to international censure.

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Palestinian says 150 trees cut by settlers
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews
by Elior Levy - April 13, 2011 - 12:00am

Palestinian villager Ibrahaim Salah faced a rude welcome after arriving at his olive grove Tuesday, claiming that his trees were cut down by settlers. "I arrived at my land Tuesday morning and couldn't believe my eyes," said the Samaria resident, who is allowed to access his grove only a few times a year with a security escort. "We found some 150 olive trees that are dozens of years old cut down." Salah says that only 60 trees remain in his plot of land at this time, yet most of them are too young and do not produce commercial quantities of trees.

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Abbas calls on Israel to stop settlement activities to resume peace
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua
April 12, 2011 - 12:00am

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Tuesday called on Israel to cease settlement constructions in the occupied territories to resume peace talks. He also said that Israel should commit itself to the references of the peace process, including the recognition of the goal that the negotiations should lead to a Palestinian statehood on the lands that Israel has occupied in 1967. Abbas made the remarks as he received Spain's Crown Prince Philip, his wife and Spanish Foreign Minister Trinidad Jimenez in the West Bank city of Ramallah.

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Removing Israeli leaders' masks of hypocrisy
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
(Editorial) April 8, 2011 - 12:00am

WikiLeaks' "Israel file," parts of which appear in detail in today's newspaper, makes an important contribution to public discourse in Israel. The publication makes it clear that senior Israeli officials and public figures have presented positions to American officials different from those they voiced in public. Exposing the reports of the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv and general consulate in Jerusalem removes the masks of hypocrisy and doublespeak and contributes to political transparency and cleanliness.

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Haaretz WikiLeaks exclusive / Israel's Peace Now updates U.S. on West Bank construction
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Ofer Aderet - April 7, 2011 - 12:00am

Israeli left-wing non-government organization Peace Now has urged the U.S. to pressure Israel into evacuating West Bank outposts, according to an American diplomatic cable released by WikiLeaks, adding that the group regularly updated both Washington and the Defense Ministry on ongoing settlement construction.

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Israeli settlement activities impede peace efforts: Jordanian FM
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua
April 6, 2011 - 12:00am

Jordanian Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh on Wednesday condemned Israel's settlement activities for impeding the peace efforts, state-run Petra news agency reported. At a meeting with David Hale, deputy envoy of the United States for Middle East peace, the Jordanian official condemned Israel's unilateral, illegal and provocative measures in the occupied Palestinian territories, especially in East Jerusalem. Judeh said the Israeli settlement activities obstruct the peace efforts, calling for freezing these activities immediately.

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EU: Approval of East Jerusalem settlement expansion is deeply disappointing
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
April 6, 2011 - 12:00am

European Union Foreign Policy Chief Catherine Ashton said on Wednesday that she was "deeply disappointed" by Israel's approval of new settlement building in East Jerusalem. "The actions taken by the Israeli Government contravene repeated and urgent calls by the international community, including the Quartet, and run counter to achieving a peaceful solution that will preserve Israel’s security and realize the Palestinians’ right to statehood," Ashton said in a statement released on Wednesday.

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