December 15th

On Israel, can U.S. Jews disagree nicely? ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA) by Sue Fishkoff - December 15, 2010 - 1:00am Laura Sutta says she doesn’t feel safe talking about Israel. Sutta returned to the United States in 2003 after 23 years living in Israel and found that while she was away, the vitriol over Israel had reached a fever pitch in her Jewish community in the San Francisco Bay area. “I’ve lost two friendships over it,” she said. “One was a friend from high school. When I talked to him about Israel, I could feel him judging me.” Sutta says she’s dumbfounded by the “fury of the volleys being exchanged.” » Read more

Oren: Still pursuing F35s from US settlement freeze offer ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post December 15, 2010 - 1:00am Ambassador to the US, Michael Oren, said Israel is still seeking 20 additional F- 35 fighter jets even after the failure of a US offer to provide the planes in exchange for a freeze on settlement construction. The 20 jets would be in addition to the 20 Lockheed Martin Corp.-built F-35 Joint Strike Fighters, valued at about $2.8 billion, that Israel ordered in October, Oren told Bloomberg News reporters and editors in Washington yesterday. RELATED: US, Israel, PA fail to reach settlement freeze deal US refuses to confirm offer of 20 F-35 fighter jets » Read more

Peres: Time running out on peace ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Ahiya Raved - December 15, 2010 - 1:00am The European Union expressed its faith in peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians on Monday, but President Shimon Peres believes there is not much time left. "We are starting the countdown for peace, and time is running out," he said Tuesday at a Galilee convention in the northern city of Beit Shean. "There are serious processes of de-legitimizing Israel, radical Islamization in the region and Iran arming itself. We must come to our senses now. There is not much time left for discussions," the president warned. » Read more

Mitchell presented Abbas with offers ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Roee Nahmias - December 15, 2010 - 1:00am US special envoy to the Middle East George Mitchell presented a document of "unofficial" offers to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah, London-based Arabic-language al-Hayat newspaper reported Wednesday. But the report adds Mitchell offered no US guarantees. Israeli Side Netanyahu welcomes US focus on core issues / Reuters Prime minister tells economic forum that Clinton's announcement of intention to focus on borders, refugees, rather than additional settlement freeze will move talks along. 'To reach peace, we have to discuss issues delaying peace,' he says Full Story » Read more

Jordan soccer brawl highlights Palestinians' feelings of deprivation ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Zvi Barel - December 15, 2010 - 1:00am A soccer match played Friday between the Jordanian league's Al-Faisaly and Al-Wihdat ended in a 1:0 victory for Al-Wihdat. The real news, though, wasn't the score, but the skirmish that broke out, in which 250 fans and policemen were injured, after the wire fence that separates the spectators from the field collapsed. This wasn't just a clash between fans accompanied by stone-throwing, broken bones and arrests. It was a political battle pitting the Al-Wihdat fans, mostly of Palestinian descent, against the Al-Faisaly fans, mostly of Jordanian origin. » Read more

Hamas leader in Gaza vows group will never recognize Israel ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Douglas Alexander - December 15, 2010 - 1:00am Hamas will never recognize Israel, Gaza leader Ismail Haniyeh said Tuesday at a rally to mark the 23rd anniversary of the militant group's founding. "We say it with confidence as we said it five years ago when we formed our government, and we say it today: We will never recognize Israel," Haniyeh told a crowd in Gaza City numbering tens of thousands. A poster at the rally featured photographs of Hamas leaders assassinated by Israel in the last 10 years. "Hamas will be the faithful guard of the Palestinian people's rights and the basic Palestinian principles," Haniyeh continued. » Read more

Israeli PM expresses willingness to discuss core issues of Mideast conflict ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua by Gur Salomon - December 15, 2010 - 1:00am As U.S. special Mideast envoy George Mitchell renewed his peace brokering efforts in the Middle East, Israel on Tuesday expressed its willingness to discuss core issues with the Palestinians while stopped short of settlement building freeze. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who met Mitchell Monday evening, said Tuesday at a domestic conference that the two persons "spoke about ways to advance the peace process" and added that the meeting was "very good." » Read more

Envoy says US committed to Palestinian state ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Statesman by Mohammed Daraghmeh - December 15, 2010 - 1:00am The U.S. will not be deterred by setbacks and will persevere until a Palestinian state is established alongside Israel, President Obama's Mideast envoy said Tuesday after meeting the Palestinian president. Envoy George Mitchell presented ideas on how to move forward, said Saeb Erekat, an aide to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. He would not elaborate. » Read more

Palestinian kids play risky game with Israel police ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Alertnet by Jihan Abdalla - December 15, 2010 - 1:00am At the volatile heart of a volatile region, Palestinian children play a dangerous game. In the flashpoint East Jerusalem neighbourhood of Silwan, small groups of boys hang around by the roadside, suddenly darting into the street to hurl rocks at passing Israeli cars, especially vehicles belonging to local Jewish settlers. Seemingly heedless of the risk they pose their targets and themselves, the youngsters also goad local Israeli security forces determined to keep order. » Read more

UN concerned after Gaza charity closed ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency December 15, 2010 - 1:00am Almost one week after Hamas officials in the Gaza Strip closed the doors to a charity assisting children and teenagers, UN officials and international NGO Human Rights Watch released statements calling for the re-opening of the institution, and condemning the closure. » Read more