Middle East News: World Press Roundup

NEWS: Two Palestinians drown during flash floods in the occupied West Bank. Palestinian factions are trying to arrange a cease-fire at the main Palestinian refugee camp in Damascus. Israelis do not seem to share the concern some pro-Israel Americans are expressing about the nomination of Chuck Hagel. A new poll suggests Palestinian popular support for armed struggle has increased in recent months. Ha'aretz profiles controversial MK Hanin Zuabi. Two Palestinian citizens of Israel are convicted on charges of plotting terrorism. Pres. Abbas and Hamas leader Mishaal may meet in Cairo. Danny Dayan quits as leader of the Israeli settler council. A new poll suggests Israeli voters aren't enthusiastic about PM Netanyahu, but prefer him to everybody else. The first Palestinian envoy to Kuwait in 22 years has been appointed. COMMENTARY: The Media Line interviews PM Fayyad about the PA's fiscal crisis and political woes. The New York Times interviews Pres. Peres, who says Israelis don't want to be seen as an occupying state. Reuters interviews former Shin Bet chief Yaakov Peri, who says Israel faces the prospect of another Palestinian uprising driven by despair. Jerome Slater says as long as Israel is blockading Gaza, it cannot claim self-defense in combating Hamas. Abraham Foxman says Hagel would not have been his choice, but he's not opposed to the nomination. Osama Al Sharif says Palestinians only stand to gain by national reconciliation. John Whitbeck says that, from a legal point of view, the State of Palestine already exists, albeit under occupation. Grant Rumley says Israelis are avoiding a major foreign policy debate during their current election season. Michael Singh says American patience and persistence are required in pursuing Middle East peace.

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Winter storm batters Mideast, 8 dead ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press by Barbara Surk - January 9, 2013 - 1:00am   The fiercest winter storm to hit the Mideast in years brought a rare foot of snow to Jordan on Wednesday, caused fatal accidents in Lebanon and the West Bank, and disrupted traffic on the Suez Canal in Egypt. At least eight people died across the region. » Read more

Fighting flares in Palestinian camp in Damascus ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press by Albert Aji - January 8, 2013 - 1:00am   » Read more

Hagel nomination: Israelis ask 'what's the big deal?' ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Christian Science Monitor by Christa Case Bryant - January 8, 2013 - 1:00am   » Read more

Poll: Spike in Palestinian support for military operations against Israel ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Christian Science Monitor by Christa Case Bryant - January 4, 2013 - 1:00am   » Read more

Hanin Zuabi: Not here to be loved ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Dalia Karpel - January 4, 2013 - 1:00am   At 9:00 A.M. on Thursday December 27, 2012, MK Hanin Zuabi entered a courtroom in the Supreme Court building in Jerusalem radiating optimism. Her experience as a Palestinian woman living in Israel (“It’s said that I am the most hated woman in the country,” she will tell me later) has led her to adopt a facial expression that does not betray emotions. » Read more

2 Arab-Israelis convicted for terror plot ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews January 9, 2013 - 1:00am Two Arab-Israelis, residents of a village in the lower Galilee, were given prison sentences after they were convicted for planning to carry out terrorist attacks in Israel, Yedioth Ahronoth reported Wednesday. The affair was only recently cleared for publication. The indictment reveals the two also planned to steal weapons from their cousins who serve in the security forces. » Read more

Abbas, Mashaal to meet in Cairo for talks ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Khaled Abu Toameh - January 9, 2013 - 1:00am   Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal are expected to meet in Cairo on Wednesday to discuss ending the dispute between Fatah and Hamas. The meeting will be held in the presence of Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi and senior representatives of Fatah and Hamas. » Read more

Settler council head Dani Dayan quits ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Tovah Lazaroff - January 9, 2013 - 1:00am   After five years on the job, Dani Dayan announced Tuesday night that he was quitting his post as head of the Council of Jewish Communities of Judea, Samaria and the Gaza Strip. Now that he is leaving, Dayan said, he feels he can openly throw his support behind Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and the joint Likud Beytenu ticket. » Read more

The Netanyahu disconnect — most voters like him, but most give him only a fair or bad job rating ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Times of Israel by Stephan Miller - January 9, 2013 - 1:00am   » Read more

First Palestinian envoy arrives in Kuwait after 22 years ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Saudi Gazette by Mohammed Mar'i - January 9, 2013 - 1:00am   » Read more

Palestinian Prime Minister Fayyad Searches for his Safety Net ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Media Line by Felice Friedson - (Interview) January 8, 2013 - 1:00am   Interview with Felice Friedson, The Media Line      TML:  President Abbas has issued a presidential decree that “state of Palestine” should be used wherever “Palestinian Authority” has been used until now. Has the Palestinian state been created?   » Read more

Shimon Peres on Obama, Iran and the Path to Peace ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times by Ronen Bergman - (Interview) January 9, 2013 - 1:00am   » Read more

Israeli ex-security chief sees risk of Palestinian uprising ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters by Crispian Balmer - (Interview) January 8, 2013 - 1:00am   Israel faces the prospect of a new Palestinian uprising because of despair over the gridlock in peacemaking, a former head of the Israeli internal intelligence agency who is standing in the Jan. 22 election said on Tuesday. » Read more

Israel's 'self-defense' argument against Hamas holds no water ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Christian Science Monitor (Opinion) January 7, 2013 - 1:00am   » Read more

Hagel would not have been our choice, but he's not as bad as some fear ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Abraham H. Foxman - (Opinion) January 9, 2013 - 1:00am   » Read more

Boosting Palestinian reconciliation ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jordan Times by Osama Al-Sharif - (Opinion) January 8, 2013 - 1:00am   It was supposed to be a symbolic gesture by Hamas, the uncontested ruler of the Gaza Strip since 2007. But last Friday’s rally, celebrating the 48th anniversary of the Fateh movement, took everyone by surprise. » Read more

‘The state of Palestine exists’ ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jordan Times by John V. Whitbeck - (Opinion) January 8, 2013 - 1:00am   » Read more

Why Won't Israel's Politicians Talk Seriously About Foreign Policy? ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Atlantic (Opinion) January 8, 2013 - 1:00am   » Read more

Patience, not panic, on Israeli-Palestinian peace ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Foreign Policy by Michael Singh - (Opinion) January 8, 2013 - 1:00am   » Read more

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