Middle East News: World Press Roundup

NEWS: Remarks by Pres. Abbas on Israeli television are denounced by Hamas and left-wing factions and dismissed by PM Netanyahu. Israeli media suggests Netanyahu was considering military action against Iran in 2010, but was overruled by security officials. Palestinians reject Netanyahu's demands they drop a renewed UN bid, and the Arab League encourages them to go forward with it. Israeli forces kill a mentally ill Palestinian man near the Gaza border. 20 are killed in fighting in a Damascus Palestinian refugee camp. Swiss investigators visit the tomb of the late Pres. Arafat in preparation for possible exhumation. Israel releases a Palestinian teenager improperly jailed for six months. Despite a new promise of aid from the UAE, no date is set for paying PA employees. Newly released documents illustrate the range of Palestinian reactions to early Zionist settlement. A once-thriving Palestinian village has been turned into a virtual ghost town by the separation barrier. COMMENTARY: Ha'aretz says Israel needs to say "yes" to Abbas' overtures, but the Jerusalem Post says the whole affair proves the Palestinians aren't ready for peace. Hussein Ibish says Abbas didn't say anything new and explains the official Palestinian position on refugees. The National praises Abbas' "realism and openness to calculated compromise." The New York Times says a new Palestinian bid for greater UN recognition won't help anyone, and Netanyahu seems unwilling to make any substantial compromises. Issam Younis writes an open letter of complaint to Hamas. Christa Case Bryant says US-Israel relations have never been stronger, and don't depend on presidential personalities. Saeb Erekat says whoever wins tomorrow's US presidential election may be the last American leader with a real chance of securing a two-state solution. Zvi Bar'el says with Pres. Morsy distracted by domestic politics, a volcano of violence may explode in Sinai. Jamal Zahalka calls for international sanctions against Israel, but Adel Safty says a boycott campaign is pointless. Danny Rubinstein says the visit to Gaza by the Emir of Qatar is a devastating and possibly fatal blow to the PA. George Hale describes the pitfalls of trying to report on corruption in the West Bank.





Palestinian’s Remark, Seen as Concession, Stirs Uproar
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times
by Jodi Rudoren - (Analysis) November 4, 2012 - 12:00am


The question seemed simple enough: Would President Mahmoud Abbas of the


Israeli PM reacts coolly to Abbas' remarks on borders, violence
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua
(Analysis) November 3, 2012 - 12:00am


 


Israeli Report Cites a Thwarted 2010 Move on Iran
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times
by Jodi Rudoren - (Analysis) November 4, 2012 - 12:00am





Palestinians reject Netanyahu call to drop UN initiative
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters
by Jeffrey Heller - (Analysis) November 5, 2012 - 1:00am


The Palestinians will press ahead with a bid to upgrade their status at the United Nations, a senior official said on Monday


Arab League chief says time is right for upgraded Palestinian membership at UN
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press
(Analysis) November 5, 2012 - 1:00am


The Arab Leag


Gaza man killed by Israeli forces was mentally ill
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press
by Diaa Hadid - (Analysis) November 5, 2012 - 1:00am





Fighting rages at Damascus Palestinian camp, 20 killed
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters
(Analysis) November 5, 2012 - 1:00am


The Syrian army shelled rebel positions inside a Palestinian refugee camp on the edge of Damascus on Sunday killing at least


Swiss team visits Arafat grave ahead of exhumation
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press
by Mohammed Daraghmeh - (Analysis) November 5, 2012 - 1:00am


A team of Swiss investigators visited the West Bank grave of late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat Monday


Israeli court releases Palestinian teen falsely jailed for 6 months
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua
(Analysis) November 5, 2012 - 1:00am


An Israeli military court released Monday a 16-year old Palestinian who had been wrongly accused for raping a Jewish girl after spending six months in priso


Despite UAE funds, no date set for PA salary payments
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency
(Analysis) November 5, 2012 - 1:00am


The Palestinian Authority finance minister said Monday it was too early to set a date for the payment of October's government salar


New documents reveal early Palestinian attitudes toward Zionist settlements
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Nir Hasson - (Analysis) November 4, 2012 - 12:00am


In the history of Zionism, the Zarnuka incident of 1913 has gone down as one of the first violent encounters between Jewish settlers and t


How the West Bank barrier has starved business and community
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Guardian
by Harriet Sherwood - (Analysis) November 5, 2012 - 1:00am


Inside the derelict wedding hall, bird droppings have stained the golden cloths th


Yes to Abbas
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
(Editorial) November 5, 2012 - 1:00am


After too many months spent almost exclusively dealing with the prospect of a nuclear Iran, Israelis have gotten a reminder about another


Peace divide
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post
(Editorial) November 5, 2012 - 1:00am


In an interview last week with Channel 2’s Udi Segal, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas presented a surprisingly moderate stance vis-à


Abbas Stays Put On Refugees
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Daily Beast
by Hussein Ibish - (Opinion) November 5, 2012 - 1:00am





Refugee issue must not cloud statehood bid
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from
(Opinion) November 5, 2012 - 1:00am


On Israeli television last weekend, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas said that he is unlikely to ev


Palestinians at the U.N., Again
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times
(Editorial) November 5, 2012 - 1:00am





An open letter to the Hamas movement
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency
by Issam Younis - (Opinion) November 4, 2012 - 12:00am


I remain an advocate of the right of Hamas to govern and I absolutely reject the double standards employed by the international communi


US-Israel relations won't be shaken no matter who wins Tuesday
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from
(Opinion) November 5, 2012 - 1:00am


It’s no secret that there’s been little love lost between 


U.S. elections: Palestine can't wait
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Saeb Erakat - (Opinion) November 5, 2012 - 1:00am


Palestine has not been part of any major discussion during the presidential election debates.


With Egypt's Morsi distracted by politics, Sinai's volcano of terror is about to erupt
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Zvi Barel - (Opinion) November 5, 2012 - 1:00am


The 


It's time for sanctions on Israel
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Guardian
by Jamal Zahalka - (Opinion) November 5, 2012 - 1:00am


Ahead of the Israeli elections next January,&n


The boycott campaign serves little purpose
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Gulf News
by Adel Safty - (Opinion) November 5, 2012 - 1:00am





Pitfalls Of Covering Palestinian Corruption
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Daily Beast
by George Hale - (Opinion) November 5, 2012 - 1:00am


A Palestinian columnist faces possible criminal charges after raising questions in an article two months ago about suspicious hiring practices at President Mahmoud Abbas’





American Task Force on Palestine - 1634 Eye St. NW, Suite 725, Washington DC 20006 - Telephone: 202-262-0017