October 14th

Rattling the Cage: Any more doubts about Bibi? ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Larry Derfner - (Opinion) October 13, 2010 - 12:00am Until this week, the question posed by “neutral observers” about Binyamin Netanyahu was whether he was going to follow the examples of Menachem Begin and Ariel Sharon, or that of Yitzhak Shamir. Would he transform himself into a peacemaker like Begin and Sharon by uprooting settlements and relinquishing occupied territory, or would he be an immovable object like Shamir, aiming only to keep things “quiet” so he could build more settlements and close the door on Palestinian statehood? » Read more

Israel is taking a dangerous direction ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jordan Times by Michael Jansen - (Opinion) October 14, 2010 - 12:00am The adoption by Israel of a loyalty oath to be applied to non-Jews seeking naturalisation was inevitable. It was inevitable because Israel is a “Jewish state” founded by Zionist Jews for Zionist Jews. » Read more

Danger of Israel’s racist demands ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jordan Times by Daoud Kuttab - (Opinion) October 14, 2010 - 12:00am Without any reason, the Israeli government has created a totally artificial problem for all future persons wishing to get citizenship: they will have to pledge allegiance to Israel as a Jewish and democratic state. Once again the Israelis are trying to push their internal problems and their hesitation to pay the needed price for peace onto others. » Read more

No to a third intifada ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Common Ground News Service by Hussein Ibish - (Opinion) October 14, 2010 - 12:00am Whether or not a solution to the crisis over settlements is achieved in the coming days, it's becoming increasingly clear that the direct Israeli-Palestinian negotiations are in serious trouble. The Israeli daily Ha’aretz quoted unnamed Western officials as saying the talks are “going nowhere.” And the most cautious, sober and measured of the senior PLO leadership, Yasser Abed Rabbo who is a member of the negotiating team, has been moved to declare that, “there will be no serious political process with Netanyahu's government.” » Read more

Demolition, clashes and 'price tag' at West Bank outpost ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Yair Altman - October 13, 2010 - 12:00am Some 50 youngsters, some of them hooded, blocked the entrance of security forces to Ramat Migron on Wednesday. Soldiers and police officers arrived at the West Bank outpost to demolish five illegal structures. During the ensuing clashes, which involved settlers, Palestinians and security forces, at least four people were lightly hurt by pepper spray and stones thrown by Palestinians. Some of the settlers hurled rocks at security forces and set tires on fire at the entrance to the outpost. » Read more

The view from the hilltops ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Esther Zandberg - October 14, 2010 - 12:00am "At school I studied [Hebrew poet Haim Nahman] Bialik and not [medieval Arabic poet] Al-Mutanabbi; I learned about [the Jewish commander] Bar Kochba and not [the Muslim commander] Salah a-Din ibn Ayyub; I studied the Bible and not the Koran. But from the Jewish sages' admonition to 'respect but suspect,' only suspicion remains. When people say they are going to 'develop' the Galilee, I hear 'disinherit.' Develop the Galilee? » Read more

Israel could reconsider presence in Jordan Valley ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Statesman by Karin Laub - October 13, 2010 - 12:00am JERICHO, WEST BANK — Israel's insistence on maintaining a presence on the eastern border of a future Palestinian state could be reviewed over time, a government spokesman said Wednesday. Israel's demand for such a presence is one of the potential obstacles to a Mideast peace deal. The Palestinians say they will not accept any Israeli deployment in their future state, arguing that the presence of international forces during a transition period — an idea they support — should be sufficient to address Israeli security concerns. » Read more

Jerusalem mayor pushes for rezoning of Arab areas ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Statesman October 13, 2010 - 12:00am JERUSALEM — The mayor of Jerusalem asked Israel's prime minister on Wednesday to adopt his plan to rezone some of the city's Arab neighborhoods and suspend demolitions of homes built there without permits. In a letter to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Mayor Nir Barkat wrote that his plan would improve the lives of the city's Arab residents. However, critics said the rezoning plan would heighten tensions because it also involves demolishing 22 Arab homes in one of the most volatile areas of Jerusalem, near the walled Old City. » Read more

US backs Palestinian demand to see borders ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency October 14, 2010 - 12:00am WASHINGTON (Ma’an) -- The US on Wednesday supported the PLO's request to see a map of Israel's borders, but said such demands must be made face-to-face, not through the media. PLO Secretary-General Yasser Abed Rabbo on Wednesday called on Israel and the US to provide a map of Israel's borders before "asking anything else." "Israel is an unknown entity in terms of borders [so] how does it suggest to recognize it as a Jewish state? Israel and the US should first set out Israel's borders," he explained. » Read more

Palestinians counter Israeli offer on settlements ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Washington Post by Joel Greenberg - October 14, 2010 - 12:00am JERUSALEM - Responding to an offer by Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu to extend a freeze on building in West Bank settlements if Palestinians recognize Israel as the Jewish state, a top Palestinian official said Wednesday that such recognition could be granted to Israel within its 1967 borders, without the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem. In media interviews, Yasser Abed Rabbo, a senior official of the Palestinian Liberation Organization, countered Netanyahu's offer in another volley of the verbal ping-pong that has taken the place of direct negotiations. » Read more