November 11th

Captured in international waters en route to Gaza: An eyewitness account ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Al-Masry Al-Youm by Lina Attallah - (Opinion) November 5, 2011 - 12:00am Lina Attalah, Al-Masry Al-Youm English's managing editor, recently took part in the "Freedom Waves" flotilla carrying aid to Gaza. She was captured at sea by Israeli security forces on Friday along with the rest of the passengers, 27 activists and journalists from around the world. She returned to Egypt safely on Saturday. The two boats, one Irish and one Canadian, were an attempt to draw the world's attention to the Israeli blockade imposed on Gaza since 2007. This is her account. » Read more

Destroying Palestinian solar plant ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Gulf News by Stuart Reigeluth - (Opinion) November 11, 2011 - 1:00am With international attention focusing on the Palestinian UN bid, the prisoner swap and the absurd US response to Unesco accepting Palestine, a much smaller event but no less revealing has been largely overlooked: Israel wants to destroy a Spanish-sponsored solar power plant in the West Bank. The solar plant is not particularly big — as far as solar plants go. This is nothing compared to China's massive solar farms, but it does provide electricity for 40 Palestinian families, a school and a medical centre in a town called Emnaizel, south of Hebron in the West Bank. » Read more

Israeli Disruption ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Dar Al-Hayat by Hassan Haidar - (Opinion) November 10, 2011 - 1:00am The report of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Iran’s activities could have had a greater impact, despite its highly dangerous nature, had not Israel anticipated its being issued with media and political uproar over its resolve to wage a military attack against Iran. » Read more

Failure to secure UNSC majority a temporary setback for the Palestinians ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua by Adam Gonn - (Analysis) November 11, 2011 - 1:00am JERUSALEM, Nov. 10 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian National Authority ( PNA) Foreign Minister Riad al Malki has announced that after recognizing the difficult in gaining a majority in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for their statehood bid, an alternative route would now be pursued instead. PNA President Mahmoud Abbas in September formally submitted an application to the UN, asking the world body to upgrade their current status from an observer entity to full member. » Read more

Freeze settlements now! ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Uri Savir - (Opinion) November 10, 2011 - 1:00am Israel is at a dramatic crossroads for its national security. The threat of Iran going nuclear, the shifting sands of the Arab Spring, the total stalemate in the peace process and the ongoing delegitimization of Israel in the world – all these are not plagues from the heavens, but characterize the region in which we live, technological developments and a world not accepting the occupation of another people. » Read more

Economy isn't the only thing Israelis should protest ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Yoel Marcus - (Opinion) November 11, 2011 - 1:00am After a long period of silence, apart from when he whispered into Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's ear while covering his mouth with his hand, Defense Minister Ehud Barak has revealed the real danger threatening Israel's security: the media, of course. The media are conducting a demagogic scare campaign regarding our approach to the Iranian nuclear threat. » Read more

Palestinians' Abbas needs token UN win to save face ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters by Tom Perry - (Analysis) November 10, 2011 - 1:00am RAMALLAH, West Bank, Nov 10 (Reuters) - Facing failure in his bid to win full United Nations membership for Palestine, President Mahmoud Abbas may be forced to seek a lesser upgrade of his nation's status in the world body to protect his credibility from attack by Hamas. Even going for "observer state" rank at the U.N. will likely expose the Palestinian Authority to more pressure from the United States and Israel, which have imposed financial sanctions in a bid to curb the Abbas administration's diplomatic campaign. » Read more

Bedouin oppose Israeli plans to relocate communities ATFP World Press Roundup Article from BBC News by Yolande Knell - November 11, 2011 - 1:00am Bedouin in the occupied West Bank and in Israel's Negev desert say they fear for their future as new reports circulate that the Israeli authorities plan to relocate them. International aid and Bedouin groups say tens of thousands of people could ultimately be affected. Bedouin to the east of Jerusalem expect attempts will soon be made to move them against their will. They live in an area that is controlled by Israel's Civil Administration, part of the Defence Ministry that governs the West Bank. » Read more

Where Pilgrims Once Trod, Sewage Flows ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Media Line by Arieh O'Sullivan - November 9, 2011 - 1:00am Mohammed Nakhal is normally a calm man, but he’s seething now. The stench of raw sewage is overpowering. It is rushing by, down the biblical Kidron Valley through the Judean Desert toward the Dead Sea where even you know what floats. » Read more

PA warns violence could follow stymied UN bid ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Khaled Abu Toameh, Tovah Lazaroff - November 11, 2011 - 1:00am A Palestinian Authority official warned Thursday that the region could be headed toward “violence and anarchy” because of the failure of the Palestinian statehood bid. PA officials in Ramallah refused to say what they were planning to do now that the bid at the UN Security Council seems to have failed. A UN Security Council subcommittee is expected to report Friday that the PA does not have the nine votes it needs to assure the council’s approval of its request for full UN membership. » Read more