'Israeli-Arab peace a US priority' ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Hilary Leila Krieger - May 28, 2010 - 12:00am WASHINGTON – Resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is one of the top US national security priorities, according to the National Security Strategy released by the White House on Thursday. Along with defeating al-Qaida, leading the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, and ending the Iran challenge to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, the strategy refers to Arab-Israeli peace as an important American interest. » Read more

Yes, Israel's a democracy ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Los Angeles Times by Jacob Dayan - (Opinion) May 27, 2010 - 12:00am The Jewish state of Israel is a diverse nation that has absorbed people from more than 140 countries. Among its population are about 1.5 million Arabs, including Israeli Knesset member Ahmad Tibi, who in a May 23 Times interview lashed out at Israel, using inflammatory words like "racist" and "fascist." As is his style, Tibi failed to back up his white-hot rhetoric with hard facts. » Read more

Gov't to compensate W. Bank settlers ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Rebecca Anna Stoil - May 28, 2010 - 12:00am The government is expected to announce the compensation formula for settlers harmed by the six-month-old new-construction moratorium in the coming weeks, although it is still not certain how much money needs to be budgeted due to ongoing negotiations, sources close to the talks told The Jerusalem Post Thursday. » Read more

West Bank rabbi bans women from local election ATFP World Press Roundup Article from BBC News May 28, 2010 - 12:00am The chief rabbi of a West Bank settlement has prohibited women from standing in a local community election. Rabbi Elyakim Levanon of the Elon Moreh settlement, near Nablus, said women lacked the authority to stand for the post of local secretary. He wrote in a community newspaper that women must only be heard through their husbands. No women have registered for the election due to be held later on Wednesday, Israeli media reported. » Read more

Defying Blockade, Cargo and Passenger Vessels Head for Gaza ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times by Isabel Kershner - May 27, 2010 - 12:00am Israel braced Friday for a showdown with a flotilla of nine vessels carrying hundreds of pro-Palestinian activists and thousands of tons of supplies headed for Gaza. It was the most ambitious attempt so far to break Israel’s maritime blockade of the Hamas-run coastal enclave. The flotilla of cargo ships and passenger boats, led by the Free Gaza Movement and a Turkish organization, Insani Yardim Vakfi, converged at sea from a number of countries over the last 10 days. » Read more

A way forward for Netanyahu and Abbas ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Globe and Mail by Aluf Benn - (Opinion) May 28, 2010 - 12:00am After much effort, U.S. President Barack Obama’s administration has succeeded in resuming the Israeli-Palestinian peace process through “proximity talks.” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is visiting Canada this weekend, and Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas meet separately with U.S. envoy George Mitchell to discuss the establishment of a Palestinian state alongside Israel. » Read more

Palestinian fund to help workers quitting jobs at Jewish settlements ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua May 28, 2010 - 12:00am RAMALLAH, May 27 (Xinhua) -- The Palestinian government will soon launch a fund of 50 million U.S. dollars with the aim of supporting Palestinian workers who intend to leave their jobs at Israeli settlements, labor minister at the Ramallah-based government said Thursday. "The government has adopted this choice since it has made its decision to boycott the Israeli settlements," Ahmed Majdalani told Xinhua. » Read more

Fayyad hands out settlement boycott leaflets ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters by Ali Waked - May 28, 2010 - 12:00am The Palestinians will continue to adhere to the anti-settlement boycott until their homes "will be empty of settlement goods," Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad said Thursday. The PM passed out leaflets on Thursday urging consumers to boycott products made by Jewish settlements in the West Bank. He handed out leaflets bearing the names and pictures of 500 items on the black list of his Palestinian Authority, from peanuts to door frames. » Read more