December 2nd

Israeli orthodox rabbi stirs up racism debate ATFP World Press Roundup Article from BBC World News by Rupert Wingfield-Hayes - November 30, 2010 - 1:00am From a pine-covered mountaintop in the far north of Israel, the Sea of Galilee is just visible through the mist below. This is the idyllic setting for Tzfat, as it is known in Hebrew, or Safed, as Arabic-speakers call it, a holy place for Jews. It is said to have been founded by a son of Noah after the great flood. In the past few weeks it has also become famous for a decree made by its chief rabbi who instructed residents not to rent rooms or houses to Israeli Arabs. » Read more

Israel unveils new residential plan near E.Jerusalem ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters by Ori Lewis - December 2, 2010 - 1:00am Israel on Wednesday revealed plans to build new homes on West Bank land it has annexed as part of its Jerusalem boundaries, a move likely to further hamper any resumption of peace talks with the Palestinians. The plan to build 625 homes in the urban area of Pisgat Zeev adjacent to Arab East Jerusalem was approved by an Israeli Interior Ministry committee last week, some two years after it was originally proposed, Israel Radio said. » Read more

Parsing a Palestinian Poll on Peace, With Prejudice ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jewish Daily Forward by Leonard Fein - (Opinion) December 1, 2010 - 1:00am Well, if you’re the Zionist Organization of America, what’s in your headline is whatever distortion of the data you’re discussing that you think you can get away with. Related Articles Pro-Israel Group Polls Palestinians on Peace Process From the Right: ZOA Faithful Challenge Israelis on Freeze » Read more

UPDATE 1-Israel to blame for "collapse" of talks-Abbas aide ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters by Tom Perry - December 2, 2010 - 1:00am The United States should openly blame Israel for the "collapse" of the peace process, a senior Palestinian official said on Thursday, in one of the bleakest assessments yet on Middle East peace efforts. New Israeli plans to build near East Jerusalem show Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu does not want to resume peace talks, Palestinian officials said. » Read more

Former Fatah star Mohammed Dahlan falls from favour ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The National by Hugh Naylor - (Analysis) December 2, 2010 - 1:00am JERUSALEM // Where is Mohammed Dahlan? For days rumours have swirled of a falling out between the one-time heir apparent to Yasser Arafat and the Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas. Palestinian Authority officials will not confirm the reports, but what is certain is that Mr Dahlan, 49, Fatah's former security chief in the Gaza Strip, has dropped out of sight. The Palestinian daily Al Quds Al Arabi recently reported that Mr Dahlan had openly criticised the Palestinian president and his family's business dealings. » Read more

Was PA cabinet reshuffle postponed? ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency December 2, 2010 - 1:00am Fatah Revolutionary Council Secretary-General Amin Maqboul denied Thursday that a reported PA cabinet reshuffle was postponed until the new year, saying discussions were ongoing between President Mahmoud Abbas and his appointed Prime Minister Salam Fayyad. "Abbas gave a clear decision about the cabinet reshuffle," Maqboul told Ma’an, adding that the president is the only person in power who can make the call. » Read more

Israel restricts Al-Aqsa access ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency December 2, 2010 - 1:00am Israeli forces closed most gates leading into the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound Thursday morning, leaving only two open. All worshipers under 40 years old were barred by Israeli police from entering the compound, and prayed together in the streets adjacent to the Haram Ash-Sharif (the Noble Sanctuary) which houses the mosque and the Dome of the Rock. The action came following the entry of an estimated 55 religious Jews into the mosque compound shortly after 8 a.m., witnesses said. The group was accompanied by more than a dozen Israeli guards. » Read more

2 Islamic Jihad men killed on Gaza border ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency December 1, 2010 - 1:00am Two Palestinians were killed by Israeli forces as they reportedly tried to infiltrate an Israeli kibbutz east of the Gaza Strip, military radio reported on Thursday. The Israeli military said the bodies of two members of Islamic Jihad were found in the area. Al-Quds Brigades, the armed wing of Islamic Jihad, also announced that the two were members of the organization. » Read more

A ‘tragic and dangerous development’ ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jordan Times by Michael Jansen - (Opinion) December 2, 2010 - 1:00am Reliable sources report that George Mitchell, a hero of the Good Friday agreement which ended Catholic-Protestant warfare in Northern Ireland, is set to step down from his post as US peace broker. Having tried and failed to relaunch negotiations between Palestinians and Israelis since being appointed by President Barack Obama early in 2009, Mitchell is apparently “to bow out” or “throw in the towel” in despair - as they say. If this report is correct, Mitchell’s departure would be a tragic and dangerous development. » Read more

WEST BANK: Abbas still waiting for U.S. answers on Israeli settlements ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Los Angeles Times by Maher Abukhater - December 2, 2010 - 1:00am Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on Wednesday took the opportunity of laying the cornerstone for the new presidential headquarters just north of the West Bank city of Ramallah to tell the world that he was still waiting for U.S. answers regarding an Israeli settlement freeze that would pave the way for resuming direct negotiations. However, he said, the answer may come as early as Thursday. “We did not yet receive the official U.S. answers on stopping settlements,” Abbas said. “Maybe we will hear something official tomorrow." » Read more