October 6th

Israel restricting Arab Americans' travel ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Arab News by Barbara Ferguson - October 6, 2009 - 12:00am Arab Americans have reported difficulties in travel since Israel instituted a new entry visa policy early this spring that restricts them from entering Israel from the West Bank. The new passport stamp, issued by the Israelis at entry points, such as the Allenby Bridge border crossing between Jordan and the Israeli-controlled West Bank, says: "Palestinian Authority Only." According to the new policy, those entering with the stated intention to visit the West Bank are being prohibited from crossing the "Green Line" into Israel. » Read more

War criminals must not be shielded ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Gulf News by Linda S. Heard - (Opinion) October 6, 2009 - 12:00am Once again Palestinians have attempted to procure justice via recognised international channels to no avail. The United Nations Human Rights Council shelved the Goldstone report that compiled evidence that war crimes may have been committed by Israel in Gaza. This means that Israel has once again escaped referral to the International Criminal Court in The Hague. The volte-face was the result of pressure from the White House which discounted the report as flawed and one-sided. » Read more

US denies it pressured Abbas to delay UN action on Gaza ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency October 6, 2009 - 12:00am The United States denied reports on Monday that it pressured President Mahmoud Abbas to allow the United Nations to delay action to bring alleged Israeli war criminals to justice. At the daily State Department press briefing on Monday, spokesperson Ian Kelly was asked about reports that US officials demanded that Abbas ask the UN Human Rights Council to delay a vote the report of investigator Richard Goldstone. » Read more

Israel After Iran ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Asharq Alawsat by Tariq Alhomayed - (Opinion) October 5, 2009 - 12:00am If the agreement that Iran reached with Western states on its nuclear file is real- whereby nuclear enrichment will now take place outside of Iran thus preventing a major crisis- then now it must be Israel’s turn. » Read more

Threats led to deferral of UN Gaza investigation ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The National by Jonathan Cook - (Opinion) October 6, 2009 - 12:00am Israel celebrated last weekend its success at the United Nations in forcing the Palestinians to defer demands that the International Criminal Court investigate allegations of war crimes committed by Israel during its winter assault on the Gaza Strip. The about-turn, following vigorous lobbying from Israel and the United States, appears to have buried the damning report of Richard Goldstone into the fighting, which killed almost 1,400 Palestinians, most of them civilians. » Read more

Palestinians outraged over Abbas bowing to Israel, US ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Christian Science Monitor by Ilene Prusher - October 5, 2009 - 12:00am Demonstrators descended Monday on this city's most famous traffic circle, Manara Square, which for years was a launching point of Palestinian protests against the Israeli occupation. » Read more

Syria cancels Palestinian leader's visit ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press October 6, 2009 - 12:00am Syria has postponed a planned visit by the Palestinian President amid controversy about his decision to suspend efforts to have Israeli officials prosecuted for war crimes over last winter's military offensive in Gaza. A Syrian official refused to specify the exact reason for postponing Mahmoud Abbas's trip, which was scheduled to begin today. Yesterday's decision came a day after Syria criticised Mr Abbas's Palestinian Authority for backing down against Israel. » Read more

Peace must be made on Temple Mount ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Guardian (Opinion) October 6, 2009 - 12:00am With home demolitions and evictions occurring on a near daily basis, the theft of villagers' land going on round the clock, and the illegal and immoral siege of Gaza still in force years after it began, few would begrudge Palestinians airing their grievances against their oppressors. However, given that there are so many opportunities for legitimate protest against Israeli government policy, it is to certain Palestinians' discredit that they refuse to choose their battles more judiciously. » Read more

Palestinians warn Israel on Jerusalem tensions ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters by Douglas Hamilton - October 6, 2009 - 12:00am A senior Palestinian official on Tuesday accused Israel of deliberately creating "an extremely dangerous situation" in East Jerusalem, to trigger violence, justify a crackdown and tighten its grip on the disputed city. "Israel is lighting matches in the hope of sparking a fire, deliberately escalating tensions in occupied East Jerusalem rather than taking steps to placate the situation," chief peace negotiator Saeb Erekat said in a statement before meetings later this week with U.S. President Barack Obama's envoy. » Read more

Clashes raise Jerusalem tensions ATFP World Press Roundup Article from BBC News October 6, 2009 - 12:00am Tensions over the complex containing al-Aqsa mosque and the Western wall have boiled over into rioting several times in the past two weeks. Police and rock-throwing Palestinians clashed on Sunday and Monday at the religious site and in East Jerusalem. Palestinian officials accused Israel of trying to "Judaize" Jerusalem. The religious site, known as Temple Mount to Jews and Haram al-Sharif to Palestinians is hotly contested and was the flashpoint that led to the Palestinian intifada, or uprising, which broke out in 2000. » Read more