Middle East News: World Press Roundup

NEWS: Israeli occupation forces raid three Palestinian NGOs in the West Bank. Gaza tunnel smuggling is recovering from the recent conflict. FM Lieberman strongly attacks European criticism of Israel's settlement expansion plans. Extremists target a Jerusalem monastery and Palestinian cars in "price tag" attacks. Jordan says it plans to hold Israeli-Palestinian talks in February. Israel says it plans to withhold Palestinian revenues until at least March. In yet another reversal, a Hamas official insists Mishaal will not run for reelection as Politburo chief. The US plans to give Israel thousands of "bunker buster" bombs. Jordan's Prince Hassan is accused of "normalization" with Israel. The incoming Congress will be without several key members who were both supporters of Israel and advocates of peace. Pres. Abbas is visiting Turkey. Palestinians say they may consider international legal action if Israel persists with settlement expansion plans. Israeli occupation forces are preparing for an anticipated upsurge of violence in the West Bank. COMMENTARY: Harriet Sherwood says, despite Hamas' rhetoric and political gains, there is little to celebrate for the long-suffering people of Gaza. Natasha Mozgovaya says Jewish-American groups are divided on defending Israel's settlement plans. Ha'aretz says too many Israeli election laws invalidate Arab parties and candidates. Sefi Rachlevsky says the "messianic racist revolution that swallowed up Israeli Orthodoxy has now swallowed Likud." Amira Hass says Europe has a final opportunity to impact the course of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Yitzhak Benhorin says Israel's policies are alienating increasing numbers of Jewish Americans. Elias Harfoush says Mishaal's Gaza speech should be regarded as popular pandering, and Hamas needs a real strategy to move forward. Raphael Ahren says Palestinians will play a huge role in determining whether or not they develop an independent state.

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West Bank: Israeli Military Raids 3 Palestinian Organizations ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times by Isabel Kershner - December 12, 2012 - 1:00am Israeli soldiers raided three Palestinian nongovernmental organizations in Ramallah before dawn on Tuesday, seizing computers and other equipment from two of them: Addameer, which supports Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails, and the Union of Palestinian Women Committees. » Read more

Gaza's tunnels rebound from Israeli offensive ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press by Mohammed Daraghmeh - December 12, 2012 - 1:00am RAFAH, Gaza Strip — Rafah's biggest industry is back in business: Gazans are rebuilding the network of underground smuggling tunnels crisscrossing the Egyptian border that were pummeled in a recent Israeli offensive, restoring the illicit conduit for consumer goods and weapons so crucial to Hamas rule. » Read more

Israeli FM further slams EU critique over settlements ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua December 12, 2012 - 1:00am JERUSALEM, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman continued Wednesday to slam the European Union's critique on Israel's construction in the settlements. » Read more

Vandals target Jerusalem monastery, Palestinian cars in price tag attacks ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua December 12, 2012 - 1:00am JERUSALEM, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- Two price tag attacks occurred overnight as vandals sprayed hate slogans on a monastery in Jerusalem and torched and spray painted a car in Ramallah, local news outlets reported Wednesday. » Read more

Report: Jordan to host peace talks in February ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency December 12, 2012 - 1:00am BETHLEHEM (Ma'an) -- Palestinian and Israeli officials will meet in Jordan in February in efforts to support the peace process, King Abdullah II of Jordan was quoted as saying by Al-Hayat newspaper on Wednesday. Officials from both sides will meet under the auspices of the European Union and United States, the Jordanian King said while visiting the United Kingdom on Tuesday, Al-Hayat reported. » Read more

Israel to withhold Palestinian funds until March, at least ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency December 12, 2012 - 1:00am JERUSALEM (Reuters) -- Israel will withhold tax revenues from President Mahmoud Abbas's administration until March at least in response to his statehood campaign at the United Nations, Israel's foreign minister said. Under interim peace deals, Israel collects some $100 million a month in duties on behalf of the Palestinian Authority in the occupied West Bank -- money that is badly needed to pay public sector salaries. » Read more

Hamas official: Mashaal will not run for re-election ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency December 12, 2012 - 1:00am BETHLEHEM (Ma'an) -- Hamas' chief-in-exile Khaled Mashaal will not run for re-election as leader of the Islamist movement, a group official said Wednesday, reiterating a position outlined several months ago. » Read more

US to give Israel thousands of 'bunker-buster' bombs ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews December 12, 2012 - 1:00am The Pentagon has appealed to Congress in a bid to increase the United States' military aid to Israel by $647 million, Ynet learned Tuesday. » Read more

Jordan Prince Scorned For Participating In Jewish Event ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Media Line by Adam Nicky - December 11, 2012 - 1:00am AMMAN: Prince El Hassan bin Talal of Jordan found himself in hot water this week after his participation in a Jewish charity event in the UK last month was exposed in local media. » Read more

New Congress will be missing some of its longtime pro-Israel pillars ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA) by Ron Kampeas - December 11, 2012 - 1:00am WASHINGTON (JTA) -- When the new Congress convenes in January, it will be missing several longtime pillars of support for Israel on Capitol Hill. » Read more

Abbas visits Turkey to map out Israel strategy ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The National by Thomas Seibert - December 12, 2012 - 1:00am ISTANBUL // Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas's visit to Ankara yesterday highlighted Turkey's two-pronged Middle East policy that seeks to balance strong support for the Palestinian cause and unyielding criticism of Israel with a pragmatism that includes fresh talks with Tel Aviv. » Read more

Palestinians to consider ICC if Israel pursues settlements ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Foreign Press December 11, 2012 - 1:00am ANKARA/OCCUPIED JERUSALEM — Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said Tuesday that Palestine could pursue Israel at the International Criminal Court (ICC) if it pushes ahead with plans to build thousands of new settler housing units in East Jerusalem. » Read more

IDF Prepares for More West Bank Violence ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Al-Monitor by Amir Rappaport - December 11, 2012 - 1:00am The attack of the masses on a Nahal Brigade infantry patrol in Hebron ahead of last weekend is not just another warning sign of the possibility that Judea and Samaria will soon start to burn: It is another manifestation of the fact that years of almost total quiet are reaching their end. » Read more

Gaza: 'My child was killed and nothing has changed' ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Guardian by Harriet Sherwood - (Opinion) December 11, 2012 - 1:00am The morning ritual goes like this: three-year-old Ali Misharawi wakes up and reaches for his father's mobile phone. He kisses and strokes the face of his baby brother, Omar, on its small screen. Then he starts asking questions. Why is Omar in paradise? Why did you put my brother into the ground? Why can't I play with him any more? » Read more

Making Israeli settlements 'hasbarable' ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Natasha Mozgovaya - (Opinion) December 12, 2012 - 1:00am Last week, at the Friends of the IDF event in Los Angeles (yes yes, the same one that Stevie Wonder decided to bow out from), guests enjoyed the event, but some activists complained to reporters that it wasn't easy to get people out to it. Many were busy, and others just simply find excuses to skip any possible controversy. Some things are just not "hasbarable". » Read more

Distortion of 'defensive democracy' ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz (Editorial) December 12, 2012 - 1:00am It's a recurring pre-election ritual: The Central Elections Committee invalidates the candidacies of Arab parties and candidates, and the Supreme Court voids the disqualifications. Since 1965, not a single Arab party has been disqualified from running for the Knesset. » Read more

Feiglin and his donkeys ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Sefi Rachlevsky - (Opinion) December 12, 2012 - 1:00am Where were you on January 22? That question will be asked long after this election, which may be the last one in Israel. As we sit at the edge of the volcano, small personal details are being covered as if they were the main issues. Perhaps repression is natural in the face of such a dramatic revolution. » Read more

Almost the last call ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Amira Hass - (Opinion) December 12, 2012 - 1:00am It is difficult to compete with the phallus that the Hamas movement displayed publicly during its celebrations in Gaza at the end of last week, especially when those dragged into the competition were nondescript functionaries in ties, the remnants of the fatigued Palestine Liberation Organization's leadership. In this competition, European countries waver between the role of observer from the sidelines and that of the functionary's prompter. » Read more

We're losing America's Jews ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Yitzhak Benhorin - (Opinion) December 12, 2012 - 1:00am WASHINGTON - As we deal with our daily existential war in Israel and find it difficult to focus on processes that are more long term, America's Jews are gradually abandoning us. They are not doing it by shouting and threatening, so it is hard to measure the leak in the dam. They simply move aside and go about their business. It's not a PR issue. » Read more

Talk about Reconciliation Following Meshaal’s Visit ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Al-Hayat by Elias Harfoush - (Opinion) December 11, 2012 - 1:00am If this is the road to the Palestinian reconciliation, as promised by the head of Hamas’ politburo Khaled Meshaal, then this will most certainly be a difficult road ridden with conflicting positions and campaigns. » Read more

Is Palestine a state? That may depend on the Palestinians ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Times of Israel by Raphael Ahren - (Opinion) December 12, 2012 - 1:00am On the morning after the vote that upgraded Palestine to a nonmember observer state, United Nations officials were perplexed when they looked at the Palestinian delegation’s bench in the General Assembly Hall. A sign that used to say “Palestine” had been replaced with a sign reading “State of Palestine” — even though the special machine that usually produces these signs at the UN was temporarily out of order. » Read more

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