Middle East News: World Press Roundup

NEWS: Hamas says one of its operatives has been assassinated in Damascus and blames Israel. Palestinians are intensifying their efforts to get UNESCO to recognize the Church of the Nativity in occupied Bethlehem as a World Heritage Site in Palestine. Israeli scientists are working on a pre-battlefield treatment for PTSD. Hamas urges Pres. Abbas not to meet with Deputy PM Mofaz next week as planned. Israel allocates $90 million for infrastructure repair in Arab towns inside Israel. Hamas says it intends to broadcast "confessions of collaborators” with Israel. Israeli officials claim they have convinced Russia not to sell missiles to Syria. Two Egyptian men are criminally convicted in a case regarding cheap gas supplies to Israel. An Israeli border patrol officer faces trial for shooting a 10-year-old Palestinian child. Palestinian leaders in Lebanon asked the military to ease its behavior towards certain refugee camps. COMMENTARY: Avi Issacharoff and Amos Harel save the murder of a Hamas operative in Syria won't stop the flow of arms to Gaza. Eric Yoffie says the Israeli right cannot comprehend the settlements really are a major obstacle to peace. Giora Eiland says Israel should recognize Gaza as a de facto state. Alon Liel says misleadingly labeling settlement products “made in Israel” demonstrates Israel's self-deception. Diana Moukalled says Israeli television has just provided supporters of Pres. Assad with an undeserved gift. The Jordan Times says more Russian involvement in the Middle East peace process could be very helpful. Ruth Elgash says more Palestinian citizens of Israel are volunteering for National Service. Jonathan Schanzer says Palestinians may be gearing up for another major UN effort. Zafrir Rinat says Israel's policy of uprooting Palestinian olive trees is entirely political. Hamze Awawde says a new generation of young Palestinians is developing their own, independent political identity.

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Hamas says militant assassinated in Damascus ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Associated Press by Ibrahim Barzak - June 28, 2012 - 12:00am Hamas said Thursday that one of its members was assassinated in his home in the Syrian capital, Damascus. An official in the Palestinian militant movement said Kamal Ghanaja was a former aide to Mahmoud al-Mabhouh, a senior commander who was himself assassinated in Dubai in 2010. The official said Hamas had been informed that a group of people entered Ghanaja's home, killed him and took some files. He said a senior member of the movement has gone to Damascus to follow the official investigations. » Read more

Hamas says the Mossad killed its senior figure ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Guardian by Harriet Sherwood - June 28, 2012 - 12:00am A senior Hamas figure has been killed at his home in Damascus, in an operation that the Islamist organisation swiftly attributed to the Israeli intelligence service, the Mossad. Kamel Ranaja, who died on Wednesday night, was reported to be a deputy to Mahmoud al-Mabhouh, who was killed in a Dubai hotel in 2010. The Mossad was widely believed to be behind that assassination. It caused an international furore after Israeli agents were accused of using stolen passports cloned from British, Irish and other citizens to mount the operation. » Read more

Palestinians in last push for UN nod for Bethlehem ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Associated Press by Karin Laub - June 27, 2012 - 12:00am The Palestinians on Wednesday made a final push to have UNESCO recognize the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem in the Israeli-controlled West Bank as an endangered World Heritage site, despite misgivings by Christian denominations and a cool response from the U.N. agency. » Read more

Israeli research attempts to "inoculate" soldiers against trauma ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua June 28, 2012 - 12:00am Israeli scientists are working on a new pre-battlefield treatment which could prevent soldiers from later developing Post Traumatic Anxiety Disorder (PTSD), local media reported on Thursday. According to Tel Aviv University's Talma Hendler and officials at the Functional Brain Center at the city's Ichilov Hospital, the "neurofeedback" method is aimed at teaching the subjects how to gradually change their brain's reaction to a traumatic experience. » Read more

Hamas urges Abbas not to meet with Israeli deputy PM ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua June 28, 2012 - 12:00am Islamic Hamas movement on Thursday urged Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas not to receive Israeli Deputy Prime Minister Shaul Mofaz. The meeting between two leaders, which is scheduled on Sunday in the West Bank city of Ramallah, will be the first time in years that Abbas meet a senior Israeli official, especially since the peace talks between the two sides stalled in 2010. "This meeting benefits only Israel," said Sami Abu Zuhri, a spokesman for Hamas, Abbas' bitter rival which governs the Gaza Strip. » Read more

Israel allocates 90 mln USD for infrastructure repair in Arab towns ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua June 28, 2012 - 12:00am Following decades of administrative neglect, the Israeli government announced on Thursday the allocation of 355 million shekels (90 million U.S. dollars) to repair collapsing sewer and water treatment infrastructures in Arab towns nationwide. Israeli Energy and Water Resources Minister, Uzi Landau, said his ministry had reached an agreement with the Treasury to increase budgets and grants for new sewer systems and waste treatment plants, according to the Ha'aretz daily. » Read more

Hamas ministry to broadcast 'confessions of collaborators' ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency June 28, 2012 - 12:00am The Interior Ministry in Gaza announced Thursday that it will broadcast confessions of Palestinians who collaborated with Israeli intelligence. The ministry will release video footage of collaborators' confessions on Thursday evening on its website and other outlets, it said in a statement. » Read more

'Israel persuaded Russia not to sell Syria missiles' ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Yaakov Katz - June 28, 2012 - 12:00am Israel played a role in influencing Russia to cancel its sale of the S-300 surface-to-air missile system to Syria, Army Radio quoted Defense Minister Ehud Barak as saying Thursday. Russia suspended the sale of the advanced system to Syria in what could be an outcome of President Vladimir Putin’s visit to Israel earlier this week. Both Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and President Shimon Peres discussed the issue of Syria with the Russian leader during his short stay in Israel. » Read more

Egyptian officials sentenced over Israel gas deal ATFP World Press Roundup Article from BBC World News June 28, 2012 - 12:00am Egypt's former Oil Minister Samih Fahmi and a fugitive businessman, Hussein Salem, have been sentenced to 15 years in prison for their role in a gas export deal to Israel. Ten other former high-ranking oil and gas officials also reportedly received shorter jail sentences. The agreement, which supplied Israel with 40% of its natural gas at below market prices, was scrapped in April. It was backed by the old government, but was widely unpopular in Egypt. » Read more

Israeli officer faces trial for shooting 10-year-old boy ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The National by Hugh Naylor - June 28, 2012 - 12:00am Omri Abu, an officer in Israel's Border Police, was travelling in a bulletproof vehicle four years ago when it came under a barrage of stones thrown by Palestinian demonstrators as it drove through the West Bank village of Na'alin. He opened the door of the SUV and shot twice, striking 10-year-old Ahmed Moussa in the forehead, killing him instantly. What is being decided in an Israeli court is whether Mr Abu is guilty of negligence by firing his weapon. » Read more

Palestinian leaders ask Lebanon to lift military measures in camps ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Daily Star June 28, 2012 - 12:00am Local leaders of several Lebanon-based Palestinian factions asked the government Thursday to lift stringent military measures in the refugee camps and cease pursuing residents of the northern camp of Nahr al-Bared following clashes earlier this month. “We thank our brothers in the army’s leadership for facilitating the issue of permits and loosening security measuring until we reach an end to the military situation imposed on the camp,” a statement released by the factions said. » Read more

Death of Hamas official won't stop flow of arms from Iran, Syria to Gaza ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Amos Harel, Avi Issacharoff - (Opinion) June 28, 2012 - 12:00am We don't know much about the assassination of Kamel Ranaja in Damascus Wednesday. But from the little information that was obtainable, mostly from Hamas officials, it was orchestrated by professionals. Someone had a group of armed men appear at Ranaja's Damascus home and gun him down. One can only imagine how the assailants took advantage of the turmoil gripping Syria, the clashes between Assad supporters and opposition members and demonstrations, to make it to Ranaja's doorstep and disappear without leaving a trace. » Read more

Right evades main issue: Settlements are major obstacle to peace ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Eric Yoffie - (Opinion) June 28, 2012 - 12:00am Seth Mandel, responding in the Commentary blog to my article in Haaretz on settlements, does what settlement defenders almost always do: He changes the subject. My article discussed the impact of settlement on American Jewry; talked about why settlement is in fact a major obstacle to peace; and endorsed changes in settlement policy – such as those proposed by Dan Meridor and Alan Dershowitz – that would be good for peace, for Israel, and for strengthening ties with American Jews. » Read more

New Gaza policy needed ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Giora Eiland - (Opinion) June 27, 2012 - 12:00am The time-out between the latest round of fighting and the one to follow allows us to undertake a strategic assessment of our Gaza policy. Ever since Operation Cast Lead, and especially in recent months, we are managing the struggle using only tactical means. In this framework, we aim to identify the organization that fired at us and then target the rocket launchers. » Read more

For Israelis, Palestinian oppression is out of sight and out of mind ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Guardian by Alon Liel - (Opinion) June 27, 2012 - 12:00am The Israeli-Palestinian conflict seems more stuck than ever. In the present stalemate, recent efforts by several foreign governments – including South Africa and Denmark – to insist on a clear distinction between products originating in Israel and those from settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories are significant. These efforts can help pave the way to peace. » Read more

The naivety of Israeli television ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Asharq Alawsat by Diana Mukkaled - (Opinion) June 28, 2012 - 12:00am Those loyal to the Syrian regime will have snapped up the free gift recently given to them by Israeli television. An Israeli channel has aired a short film featuring individuals described as “activists” engaging in a risky venture by entering “hostile” land to provide assistance to Syrian refugees. The film begins with the following words: “al-Assad slaughters the Syrians. While the world remains silent, there are those who do something…the Israelis”. » Read more

Hope for more involvement ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jordan Times (Editorial) June 27, 2012 - 12:00am The visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to Jordan for talks with His Majesty King Abdullah came at an interesting time in the region. Egypt has a new, Islamist, president, the Arab Spring has swept over some Arab countries and is at the doorstep of others, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is still simmering, with no solution in sight, and the situation in Syria is getting from bad to worse. » Read more

Young Arab Israelis volunteering for national service ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Arab News by Ruth Eglash - (Opinion) June 27, 2012 - 12:00am Volunteer Nasim Awadallah’s eyes light up when he begins talking about the soccer team he created and now coaches in his small village of Ein Nekuba, just outside Jerusalem. Each morning he helps teach sports at the local elementary school. Later he takes the most eager students out for soccer training.“When I was young, someone came to the village to teach me how to play football and now I want to teach others,” said the 19-year-old volunteer. “When I see the children each morning, I know I am really helping them.” » Read more

If at First You Don't Succeed… ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Foreign Policy by Jonathan Schanzer - (Opinion) June 27, 2012 - 12:00am The Palestinians may appeal to the United Nations for statehood. Again. That was the message out of Ramallah on Sunday, June 24, when Fatah, the dominant Palestinian faction in the West Bank, concluded a meeting of its congress. » Read more

Uprooting olive trees: Nature or politics? ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Zafrir Rinat - (Opinion) June 28, 2012 - 12:00am One of the most complex challenges facing the Israel Nature and Parks Authority is finding the balance between protecting the nature in its reserves and allowing agriculture to flourish. This has become a particularly complicated issue in the Wadi Kana nature reserve in the northern West Bank, where the debate is not only focused on land, nature and the environment, but as is often the case in this country, it has become a question of politics. » Read more

The new Palestinian ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Hamze Awawde - (Opinion) June 27, 2012 - 12:00am I was born in 1990. I experienced a bit of the first intifada; the creation of the Palestinian Authority and what is called Palestinian self-administration; the rounds of negotiation between Israel and Palestine; the second intifada; the failure of the peace process; Hamas in government; the West Bank separating completely from the Gaza strip; and revolutions in the Arab world called the “Arab Spring,” that changed everything in the region. I am only 22 years old. » Read more

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