Hope for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post
by Aziz Abu Sarah - August 23, 2010 - 12:00am

There many reasons to be pessimistic and at times to despair about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Yet even when things look hopeless, hope has a way of appearing, offering a vision of what can be rather than what is. Recently, I caught a glimpse of this hope in an unlikely place – the Israeli health care system.

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Those forced from their land need a common voice
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The National
by Jesse Rosenfeld - August 20, 2010 - 12:00am

It has been just over a year since Israeli settlers backed by the courts began evicting and taking over the homes of Palestinian families in the Sheik Jarrah neighbourhood of occupied East Jerusalem. In response, neighbourhood residents have been joined by Israeli and international activists in weekly demonstrations, inspired by the protests against Israel’s Wall in the West Bank towns of Bi’lin and Ni’lin.

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Palestinians learn about the Holocaust in Israel
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Associated Press
by Aron Heller - August 19, 2010 - 12:00am

Growing up in the West Bank, Mujahid Sarsur knew next to nothing about the Holocaust and saw little ground to sympathize with a people he saw as his occupier. But thanks to an Israeli roommate overseas, the 21-year-old Palestinian student learned about the Nazi murder of 6 million Jews during World War II and discovered a new understanding of his Israeli neighbors. Now he wants other Arabs to do the same. Sarsur heads one of a handful of Palestinian grass-roots groups seeking knowledge about the Holocaust.

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1948 and Israel's deceptive bargaining position
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Salon.com
by Ben White - August 19, 2010 - 12:00am

The refrain from Israeli politicians and the country’s allies and apologists is familiar: There can be no peace deal until the Palestinians "recognize" Israel as "a Jewish state." While this can sound reasonable to the casual listener in the West, this demand actually points to critical flaws in the "peace process" and the way in which the international community approaches the Palestine/Israel question.

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Teachers told not to attend Nakba seminar
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post
by Or Schwartz - August 18, 2010 - 12:00am

The Ministry of Education on Tuesday instructed preschool kindergarten teachers not to attend a Nakba studies seminary held by the extremist left-wing organization Zochrot, according to the Legal Forum for the Land of Israel. The seminary, intended specifically for preschool teachers, was held on Tuesday and discussed the subject of "nakba," and whether the topic should be taught to kindergarten children. The central issue of the seminary was the study plan of the subject.

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State demolishes Beduin village for fourth time
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post
by Benjamin L. Hartman - August 18, 2010 - 12:00am

For the fourth time in less than four weeks, illegally built structures in the unrecognized Beduin village of Kafr al-Arakib were demolished early on Tuesday morning by staffers from the Israel Lands Administration escorted by police. Around 100 officers secured the operation, and around 25 tents were destroyed, the Southern Police District spokeswoman said. There were no injuries or arrests, although one man was taken in for questioning after he refused to leave a tent.

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College aid for Jews and not Arabs criticised
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The National
by Jonathan Cook - August 17, 2010 - 12:00am

Measures designed to benefit Jewish students applying for places in Israeli universities at the expense of Arabs have been criticised by lawyers and human rights groups. Critics have termed the controversial measures, including a programme to provide financial aid exclusively to students who have served in the Israeli army, a form of “covert discrimination”.

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A Palestinian people, yes, a Jewish people, no?
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Shlomo Avineri - (Opinion) August 13, 2010 - 12:00am

Like many readers, I enjoyed the delicate irony, sharp wit and clever Arab tales featured in Salman Masalha's op-ed ("A Jewish and Democratic Restaurant," August 9 ). But these virtues cannot compensate for the fundamental misunderstanding that underlies his concluding declaration: "There is no such thing as a Jewish democratic state, just as there is no Muslim democratic state." That is where the dog is buried, to continue the animal metaphors.

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No place in university dorms for Arabs who didn't serve in IDF
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Jack Khoury - August 12, 2010 - 12:00am

Dozens of Arab students at Tel Aviv University were denied spots in college dormitories for the coming academic year, due to preference given to students with military records, students said a secretary in the dean's office told them. There are fewer beds allocated for Israeli citizens this year because more overseas students, mainly from the United States, have registered for classes, the students said.

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23 settlement activists arrested after march into Jericho
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post
by Tovah Lazaroff - August 11, 2010 - 12:00am

Judea and Samaria police detained 23 right-wing activists on Tuesday who clashed with security personnel after the activists illegally entered the Jericho to pray at the Na’aran synagogue. Far-right activist Itamar Ben-Gvir said that as of press time, a number of activists were still in the synagogue. He said that the police used excessive force against the marchers and that six of them had been injured. Once they were in custody, he said, a driver threw stones at the protesters before they were forced to board his security vehicle so that they could be taken out of the city.

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