Middle East News: World Press Roundup

Israel will ask for the release of convicted spy Jonathan Pollard. The UN expresses “serious concerns” over home demolitions. The PA says it will set dates for new municipal elections. Israel is concerned about Hamas' antitank capability. The Latin Patriarch calls for peace. Ha'aretz says PM Netanyahu is to blame for Israel's international reputation. Racist protests erupt in Israel. The PA warns against a new Israeli attack on Gaza, and both sides fear war could happen inadvertently. Deputy FM Ayalon says Jewish refugees must be part of the negotiations. Brazil is emerging as a Middle East player. Palestinian PR efforts seem to be getting better of Israel's. Ghassan Khatib says we may be shifting into a multilateral phase in the peace process. Akram Baker says the US knows what needs to be done to push the parties to a peace agreement.

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Israel Plans Public Appeal to Ask U.S. to Free a Spy ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times by Isabel Kershner - December 22, 2010 - 1:00am Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel will officially and publicly appeal to President Obama in the coming days for the release of Jonathan Jay Pollard, the American serving a life term in a North Carolina prison for spying for Israel, Mr. Netanyahu’s office announced Tuesday. A public request, as opposed to Israel’s discreet efforts in the past, would constitute a new approach in the campaign for Mr. Pollard’s release and an additional twist in a long and painful chapter in Israeli-American relations. » Read more

UN has 'serious concerns' over home demolitions ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency December 22, 2010 - 1:00am The UN's Humanitarian Coordinator in Jerusalem told reporters Wednesday that the displacement of a Jerusalem family whose home was demolished the day before "raises serious concerns with regard to Israel’s obligations under international law.” The UN's Maxwell Gaylard, issued a statement after visiting the family of 13 whose home in the Ras Al Amud neighborhood of East Jerusalem was torn down on Tuesday by order of the municipality of Jerusalem, under the Israeli government. » Read more

PA Cabinet: Setting new date for local elections ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency December 22, 2010 - 1:00am The appointed government cabinet said Monday that it intended to enforce last week's Supreme Court decision which called the decision to postpone municipal elections illegal, and mandated that new elections be held immediately. "In accordance with the law," a statement following the regular Tuesday cabinet meeting said, ministers "discussed the required procedures for setting a new date to hold the elections," and appointed the Minister of Local Government "to provide an integrated visualization to the Cabinet in this regard." » Read more

Israel sees new anti-tank missile threat from Gaza ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Alertnet by Dan Williams - December 22, 2010 - 1:00am Militants in Gaza used an advanced Russian-designed missile against an Israeli tank this month, Israel's military chief said on Tuesday, underscoring how smuggled weaponry has improved Palestinian combat capabilities. » Read more

Holy Land Patriarch voices hope for peace ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Statesman by Danielle Cheslow - December 22, 2010 - 1:00am The top Roman Catholic clergyman in the Holy Land lamented the stalemate in Mideast peace efforts on in his annual pre-Christmas address Tuesday but said he still sees reason for hope. In his annual pre-Christmas address, Latin Patriarch Fouad Twal urged his followers not to give up, despite a deadlock in Israeli-Palestinian peace talks that has extended for nearly three months. "We suffer from the failure of direct peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority," Twal said, but added, "This should not lead us to despair." » Read more

Netanyahu can blame himself for decline in Israel's world standing ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz (Editorial) December 22, 2010 - 1:00am Israel has embarked on a vanguard diplomatic effort to foil the Palestinian initiative to gain international recognition for Palestine in the 1967 borders, and to fend off a resolution in the UN Security Council condemning settlements. » Read more

Upsurge in racism as protesters take to the streets against Arabs, migrant workers ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Nir Hasson - December 22, 2010 - 1:00am Just weeks after several dozen state-employed rabbis ignited a major controversy by issuing a letter calling on Israeli Jews not to rent or sell their homes to non-Jews, and one day after an anti-Arab demonstration in Bat Yam, Tuesday saw two more incidents in the rising tide of hatred and racism that appears to be sweeping the country. » Read more

PA fears new Israeli offensive on Gaza, Erekat says ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post December 22, 2010 - 1:00am Palestinian Authority chief negotiator Saeb Erekat on Wednesday expressed concern over Israel's latest attacks on the Gaza Strip, Israel Radio reported. Erekat stated that the Palestinian Authority fears Israel will launch a new large scale attack on Gaza, following escalated tensions in the area. The PA negotiator added that military measures will not solve anything and will only make things worse. On Tuesday, Israel pounded Hamas targets throughout the Gaza Strip in the most extensive aerial bombardment since Operation Cast Lead two years ago. » Read more

An unwitting slide toward Cast Lead II? ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Yaakov Katz - December 22, 2010 - 1:00am Almost two years ago to the day, Operation Cast Lead began, and here, Israel and Hamas are back to fighting again. A large-scale conflict has yet to evolve, but in the eyes of both sides, there is no question that the current escalation could easily lead to Cast Lead II – which neither side wants at the moment. » Read more

Jewish refugees must not be neglected in peace talks ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Guardian by Danny Ayalon - (Opinion) December 22, 2010 - 1:00am For a long time now, we have been wanting and waiting to sit down and talk. After all, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is not short of talking points that need to be urgently resolved. Unfortunately, however, instead of both sides discussing the problems, the Palestinians seem more comfortable issuing demands. » Read more

Brazil: a new face in the Middle East ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Guardian by Nimrod Novik - December 22, 2010 - 1:00am Despite the worldwide economic downturn, Brazil's economic performance is the strongest in recent memory. Inflation is under target and international reserves stand at around $240bn (£155bn). This, in turn, has created a space for Brazilian diplomatic activity that reaches far wider than in the past. Partnerships with South Africa and India through the IBSA dialogue forum, a rising presence in Africa and the Middle East, and the strategic partnerships with China and the EU are all examples of Brazil's emergence on the international stage. » Read more

Palestinians gain ground in PR, diplomatic war ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA) by Uriel Heilman - December 22, 2010 - 1:00am In the long-running Palestinian-Israeli conflict, score some recent victories for the Palestinians. It’s not that Israel has given an inch in the territorial dispute over the West Bank, or that the Palestinians in Gaza have achieved new military victories against the Israelis, despite increased rocket and mortar fire from the coastal strip in recent weeks. Rather, the Palestinians have scored a series of diplomatic and public-relations successes against a Jewish state weakened by fraying relationships and a declining reputation internationally. » Read more

Palestinians one-up Israeli PR machine ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The National by Hugh Naylor - (Analysis) December 22, 2010 - 1:00am Israel's public relations machine has long been one of the country's most formidable weapons in the Middle East conflict, but Palestinians have managed to one-up the Israelis recently, earning some noteworthy diplomatic support for their statehood ambitions. Ever since direct negotiations were suspended earlier this year, Palestinian diplomats have criss-crossed the world, visiting capitals in Europe and the Americas to gain support. » Read more

US shift may mean end of bilateral approach ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Bitterlemons by Ghassan Khatib - December 22, 2010 - 1:00am The recent shift in the American approach for running the peace process left the Palestinians with different and sometimes contradicting reactions. Initially, the Palestinians were very worried after news leaked about possible American-Israeli negotiations over a deal that would involve American incentives to convince Israel to freeze settlement activities for two or three months. As one leading Palestinian politician put it, each one of these incentives could be potentially more dangerous to the Palestinians than the continuity of settlement activities themselves. » Read more

The same song in a different key ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Bitterlemons by Akram Baker - (Opinion) December 22, 2010 - 1:00am Much has been said about United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's December 10 speech at the Brookings Institute. Analysis has ranged from it being admission of complete failure on the part of the Obama administration and a win for Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu (with US President Barack Obama backing down on the settlements) to some in Palestinian-American circles declaring it a victory for the Palestinians (with the withdrawal of the much-criticized, so-called US "security sweetener" package for Israel in return for a 90-day settlement-building moratorium). » Read more

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