Middle East News: World Press Roundup

NEWS: The apathy of Arab voters in Israel is a growing concern. PM Netanyahu rebuffs concerns about Israel's settlement policies attributed to Pres. Obama. An Israeli court convicts an American immigrant settler for killing two Palestinians in 1997. Polls continue to suggest hardline parties will do well in the coming Israeli election. Pres. Morsi claims his 2010 remarks about Israelis have been taken "out of context." An Israeli court approves, and occupation forces complete, the evacuation of a Palestinian protest structure in the crucial E1 area slated for increased settlement. Palestinian officials call for international intervention to save the peace process with Israel. The PA says Saudi Arabia has pledged to grant it $100 million. The gulf between Israeli women political leaders highlight the country's deepening divisions. Israel's high court says the military should stop evicting Palestinians from a south Hebron area designated as a "firing zone." Former PM Olmert accuses the Israeli government of rejecting peace. Israel offers tenders for another 198 settlement housing units. Palestinians accuse Israeli troops of provoking a Palestinian boy before shooting him in the back. COMMENTARY: Eric Yoffie says Jewish Americans are fed up with feeling undervalued by Israel. Ha'aretz says Israeli forces must stop routinely killing Palestinians in the occupied territories. George Hishmeh looks forward to the Hagel confirmation hearings. Reuven Pedatzur says Israeli security services think a third Palestinian intifada is only a matter of time. Rana Baker says the occupation is undermining Palestinian identity. Shai Feldman says Netanyahu's choice of coalition partners will determine the impact of Israel's election. Raja Shehadeh calls the Palestinian E1 protest a "countersettlement." David Frum looks at why Israel is turning so far to the right. Leon Hadar says the Arab-Israeli conflict has a secular past, but maybe a religious future. Ronen Bergman says it's unfair to equate criticism of Israel with anti-Semitism. AP interviews Israeli political newcomer Yair Lapid.

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As Israeli Vote Nears, Arab Apathy Is a Concern ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times by Jodi Rudoren - January 16, 2013 - 1:00am   There are two distinct strains of voter apathy here in what is known as the Triangle, home to many of Israel’s 1.5 million Arab citizens. » Read more

Netanyahu Issues Veiled Barb in Response to Reported Criticism From Obama ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times by Isabel Kershner - January 16, 2013 - 1:00am   » Read more

Israel: U.S. Immigrant Convicted in Palestinian Deaths ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times by Isabel Kershner - January 16, 2013 - 1:00am A Jerusalem court on Wednesday convicted an American immigrant who lived in a West Bank settlement of killing two Palestinians » Read more

Polls give hard-line bloc edge in Israel elections ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press January 17, 2013 - 1:00am   » Read more

Egypt's Morsi tries to defuse flap over Jews slur ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press by Hamza Hendawi - January 16, 2013 - 1:00am   Egypt's Islamist president sought Wednesday to defuse Washington's anger over his past remarks urging hatred of Jews and calling Zionists "pigs" and "bloodsuckers," telling visiting U.S. senators that his comments were a denunciation of Israeli policies. » Read more

Israeli security forces complete evacuation of E1 Palestinian outpost ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua January 17, 2013 - 1:00am   Israeli security forces completed the evacuation of the Palestinian outpost in the E1 territory early Thursday morning with the removal of 25 tents. Police spokesperson Mickey Rosenfeld confirmed to Xinhua that the evacuation took place late Wednesday night and lasted an hour without any unusual incidents or disturbances. » Read more

PNA calls for int'l intervention to save peace process with Israel ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua January 17, 2013 - 1:00am    The Palestinian National Authority (PNA) on Wednesday called for an international intervention to save the peace process with Israel. The call came after the Israeli government's announcement of plans to build some 200 housing units in Jewish settlements in the West Bank. » Read more

Minister: Saudi Arabia pledges $100 million to PA ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency January 16, 2013 - 1:00am Saudi Arabia has pledged $100 million to the Palestinian Authority to ease the government's financial crisis, the PA finance minister said Wednesday. » Read more

Gulf between Israel's female powerhouses highlights country's deepest tensions ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Christian Science Monitor by Christa Case Bryant - January 16, 2013 - 1:00am   Sparks flew in Hangar 11 at Tel Aviv’s Old Port last night. » Read more

High Court to state: Don't evict Palestinians from south Hebron firing zone ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Amira Hass - January 16, 2013 - 1:00am   Israel's High Court of Justice on Wednesday ordered the state to refrain from evicting Palestinians living in an area of the West Bank that the Israel Defense Forces has designated a firing zone, pending further decision on the matter. » Read more

Olmert: Israeli government rejecting peace ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Moran Azulay - January 17, 2013 - 1:00am With only five days left before the national elections, former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert warned that incumbent leader Benjamin Netanyahu could cause an irreparable rift between Israel and its closest ally.   » Read more

Gov't issues tenders for 198 new settler homes ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews January 17, 2013 - 1:00am   The Housing Ministry released two government tenders for the construction of 198 new homes in the West Bank on Wednesday, less than a week before the national elections.   » Read more

Did Israeli troops deliberately provoke boy, only to shoot him in the back? ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Independent January 16, 2013 - 1:00am   » Read more

Dear Prime Minister Netanyahu: U.S. Jews are fed up with not being valued ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz (Opinion) January 17, 2013 - 1:00am   Dear Prime Minister Netanyahu: American Jews are exceedingly agitated about issues of religious freedom, and there are things that you—acting on your own—can do about it. » Read more

Stop killing innocent citizens ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz (Editorial) January 17, 2013 - 1:00am   Samir Ahmed Awad, 16, of the West Bank village of Budrus, was killed by IDF soldiers. So was Uday Darwish, 21, of Dura and Anwar al-Mamluk, 21, of Gaza. None of them was a "ticking bomb." Their crime was attempting to cross the separation fence near Ramallah, or the one enclosing the Gaza Strip. » Read more

Let Hagel have the last word ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Gulf News by George S. Hishmeh - (Opinion) January 16, 2013 - 1:00am   » Read more

Israeli Security Sources Anticipate Third Intifada ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Al-Monitor by Reuven Pedatzur - (Opinion) January 17, 2013 - 1:00am   » Read more

Israeli Occupation Causes Palestinian Identity Crisis ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Al-Monitor by Rana B Baker - (Opinion) January 17, 2013 - 1:00am   Colonialism is not limited to physical boundaries, theft of resources, and even military aggression. In fact, it extends far beyond what we see, hear, and touch to what we do not. And the latter is equally perilous to say the least.  » Read more

Bibi’s Choice After Election Will Set Course for Israel ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Al-Monitor by Shai Feldman - (Opinion) January 17, 2013 - 1:00am   In the aftermath of next week’s Israeli elections, Prime Minister Benjamin (Bibi) Netanyahu will face the decision of his political life. What kind of governing coalition he chooses to form will affect Israel for years to come. » Read more

The Countersettlement ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times by Raja Shehadeh - (Opinion) January 17, 2013 - 1:00am   » Read more

Why Israel is Turning Right ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Daily Beast by David Frum - (Opinion) January 17, 2013 - 1:00am   » Read more

The Arab-Israeli Conflict's Secular Past and Religious Future ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The National Interest by Leon Hader - (Opinion) January 17, 2013 - 1:00am   Imagine a 20-year-old American kid who follows world affairs by browsing the Internet. Ask him to point out to the driving force behind the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians. And don’t be surprised if his answer is religion. » Read more

The Gravest of Allegations: Conflating Critique of Israel with Anti-Semitism ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Speigel International by Ronen Bergman - (Opinion) January 17, 2013 - 1:00am   » Read more

AP Interview: Israel's Lapid won't be 'fig leaf' ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Bloomberg by Josef Federman - (Opinion) January 17, 2013 - 1:00am   Little known outside Israel, political newcomer Yair Lapid could soon become the moderate face to the world of an otherwise hard-line government after next week's parliamentary election. » Read more

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