Middle East News: World Press Roundup

NEWS: PM Fayyad says the PA fiscal crisis is being exacerbated by pledged Arab aid that is not being delivered. PM Netanyahu says Israel is now going to construct a barrier along the Syrian border. Sen. Rand Paul calls for a gradual reduction in aid to Israel. Egypt says it has foiled a car bombing attempt near the Gaza border. Netanyahu's rivals are considering an implausible center-left coalition for the coming election. Charges are dropped against an Israeli youth accused of attacking a Palestinian taxi. Israeli security officials believe there is a "low possibility" of another Palestinian uprising. Hamas officials say they will be selecting a new leader this month. Netanyahu says he still stands behind his Bar-Ilan speech in which he endorsed a two-state solution. The PLO says it's working to end violence in Palestinian refugee camps in Syria. Many Palestinian citizens of Israel seem ready to ignore the upcoming Israeli election. COMMENTARY: Jackson Diehl says the Obama administration should adopt a low-key approach to Middle East peace, but Jeremy Ben-Ami says bold measures are required to save the two-state solution. Ha'aretz says the Israeli government is wrong to stop Palestinian prisoners from seeking an education. Avner Cohen says Asma Aghbarieh-Zahalka is creating a new political discourse in Israel. S. Daniel Abraham says, in order to survive as a Jewish state, Israel needs a Palestinian state alongside it. Ben Caspit says Netanyahu must now choose between the sane parties of the center-left or the not-so-sane religious right. The Jerusalem Post says Palestinian leaders are irresponsible in blaming Israel for their fiscal crisis. Jeff Barak says Netanyahu's policies have been disastrous. Jonathan Freedland says Israel's shift to the right will cost it the friends it needs most. Peter Beaumont says Netanyahu appears to be a "strong man with a fearful heart." Alex Joffe says Palestinians may hate Netanyahu, but they are playing into his hands at every stage. The Daily Star says Palestinians need to persist in pursuing national reconciliation. Hamas figure Kassem Kassir says the group would like to maintain relations with Iran, if possible. Raphael Ahren says Netanyahu and FM Lieberman don't mean what the world thinks they're talking about when they refer to a two-state solution. Tal Kra-Oz looks at the rise of the annexationist, one-unequal-state, movement on the Israeli right.

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Palestinian PM warns of cash crisis ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press by Karin Laub - January 6, 2013 - 1:00am   The Palestinian self-rule government is in "extreme jeopardy" because of an unprecedented financial crisis, largely because Arab countries have failed to send hundreds of millions of dollars in promised aid, the Palestinian prime minister said Sunday. » Read more

Israel Plans to Construct a Syrian Border Fence ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times by Isabel Kershner - January 6, 2013 - 1:00am   » Read more

US senator calls for gradual cut in aid to Israel ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press by Aron Heller - January 7, 2013 - 1:00am   U.S. Sen. Rand Paul on Monday called for a gradual reduction of American foreign aid, delivering the message in an unlikely venue — since Israel is among the top recipients of American assistance. » Read more

Egypt says it foils car bombing near Gaza border ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press by Ashraf Sweilam - January 7, 2013 - 1:00am   The Egyptian military said Monday it foiled an attempted car bombing that was likely targeting an abandoned church or a nearby military camp under construction along the Egypt-Gaza border. » Read more

Netanyahu's rivals eye centre-left pact for Israel vote ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters by Dan Williams - January 5, 2013 - 1:00am   Three Israeli parties on Saturday proposed forming a centre-left opposition bloc to try to topple conservative Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the Jan. 22 election, but disagreements over the terms suggested any pact could be elusive. » Read more

Case dropped against Israeli teen accused of detonating Palestinian taxi ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua January 6, 2013 - 1:00am   The Attorney Office of Jerusalem District decided on Sunday to close an investigation against a 13- year-old Jewish settler suspected of hurling a Molotov cocktail at a Palestinian taxi in August 2012. In a statement obtained by Xinhua, the lawsuit was closed due to "lack of sufficient evidence" which could connect the defendant with the crime. » Read more

Israeli security chief estimates "low" chance of third intifada ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua January 7, 2013 - 1:00am   The chance that Palestinians in the West Bank launch another violent uprising against Israel is low, according to a recent assessment by the director of Israel's Shin Bet security service. » Read more

Hamas to pick new chief this month: official ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua January 6, 2013 - 1:00am    Islamic Hamas movement will pick a new chief of its politburo through internal elections this month to succeed current leader Khaled Mashaal, a Hamas official said Sunday. "We will elect a new chief this month under a new electoral system," Hamas senior member Salah al-Bardawil told Xinhua. » Read more

Israel's premier reaffirms landmark speech on Palestinian statehood ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Los Angeles Times by Batsheva Sobelman - January 6, 2013 - 1:00am   » Read more

Official: PLO seeking return of refugees to Damascus camp ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency January 7, 2013 - 1:00am PLO leaders, the Free Syria Army and Syrian regime forces are in ongoing talks to finalize an agreement to allow Palestinian refugees who fled fighting in a Damascus camp to return, a PLO official said. » Read more

In poor Arab villages like Jisr a-Zarka, poverty and alienation keep people from the polls ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Times of Israel by Assaf Uni - January 7, 2013 - 1:00am   » Read more

Wading into the Middle East morass ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Washington Post by Jackson Diehl - (Opinion) January 6, 2013 - 1:00am   » Read more

Preserving the two-state solution ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Washington Post by Jeremy Ben-Ami - (Opinion) January 4, 2013 - 1:00am   A mere 24 hours after it takes office this month, President Obama’s new national security team will come face to face with a fundamentally different political reality in Israel and the Palestinian territory than their predecessors dealt with. » Read more

The wrong lesson ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz (Editorial) January 7, 2013 - 1:00am   » Read more

In an Arab woman, a new hope for Israel's left ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Avner Cohen - (Opinion) January 7, 2013 - 1:00am   Something fascinating, innovative, authentic and hopeful is happening on the Israeli left and it has happened almost overnight. Though this something is still embryonic, a small bud not yet on the opinion poll radar, those following the left's dire situation can't miss it. For the first time since perhaps the death of Jewish-Arab communism of the 1950s, a new Israeli left has been born here, a left that carries hope and a new kind of vision. » Read more

How Israel will be destroyed without one shot being fired ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by S. Daniel Abraham - (Opinion) January 6, 2013 - 1:00am   » Read more

The Israeli initiative ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Ben Caspit - (Opinion) January 6, 2013 - 1:00am It’s not a putsch, not an attempt to topple Netanyahu or any of the other spins the Likud is currently trying to pin on it.I’d call it “The Israeli Initiative”; the union of the Center-Left, sane Zionist parties – the State of Israel’s last chance to remain in the r » Read more

Palestinian irresponsibility ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post (Editorial) January 6, 2013 - 1:00am The Palestinian Authority is currently embroiled in a largely self-inflicted financial crisis so bad that it could lead to what one high-ranking Fatah official recently referred to as a “popular explosion.”Unfortunately, instead of taking responsible steps to remedy the situation, the PA h » Read more

Reality Check: Netanyahu’s damaging policies ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Jeff Barak - (Opinion) January 6, 2013 - 1:00am The saddest fact about this election campaign is that the first real opposition blows against Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu were struck by people not running for election.President Shimon Peres landed the first punch with his call last week to renew negotiations with Palestinian Authority Presiden » Read more

Israel's shift to the right will alienate those it needs most ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Guardian by Jonathan Freedland - (Opinion) January 4, 2013 - 1:00am   » Read more

Binyamin Netanyahu: strong man with a fearful heart ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Guardian by Peter Beaumont - January 5, 2013 - 1:00am   » Read more

Palestinians hate Netanyahu, but the Israeli leader acts like one of them ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Daily Star by Alexander Joffe - (Opinion) January 5, 2013 - 1:00am   » Read more

Keep the impetus ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Daily Star (Editorial) January 5, 2013 - 1:00am   » Read more

Hamas MP: Gates of Gaza Open, Including to Iran ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Al-Monitor (Opinion) January 6, 2013 - 1:00am   » Read more

What Netanyahu and Liberman really mean when they speak of a two-state solution ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Times of Israel by Raphael Ahren - (Opinion) January 6, 2013 - 1:00am   » Read more

The New One-State Solution ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Tablet Magazine (Opinion) January 7, 2013 - 1:00am   » Read more

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