November 8th

Sarkozy tells Obama: Netanyahu is a liar ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency November 8, 2011 - 1:00am French President Nicolas Sarkozy branded Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu "a liar" in a private conversation with US President Barack Obama that was accidentally broadcast to journalists during last week's G20 summit in Cannes. "I cannot bear Netanyahu, he's a liar," Sarkozy told Obama, unaware that the microphones in their meeting room had been switched on, enabling reporters in a separate location to listen in to a simultaneous translation. "You're fed up with him, but I have to deal with him even more often than you," Obama replied, according to the French interpreter. » Read more

Israel plans 50,000 homes in East Jerusalem ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency November 8, 2011 - 1:00am Israel's Jerusalem municipality plans to build more than 50,000 new homes in the city's occupied eastern sector over two decades, Israeli media reported on Sunday. A study commissioned by Israel's Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barakat to address housing shortages in the city, obtained by Hebrew daily Maariv, shows designs for 60,718 housing units in the city, with the majority -- 52,363 homes -- planned for East Jerusalem. » Read more

Fund transfer to PA to be renewed ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Attila Somfalvi - November 8, 2011 - 1:00am Israel is likely to renew its funds transfer to the Palestinian Authority following the US Congress' decision to unfreeze some $200 million in Palestinian security assistance, Jerusalem sources told Ynet on Monday. Israel collects about $100 million in various taxes on behalf of the PA, which it transfers to Ramallah on a monthly basis. The transfer was suspended following the PA's pursuit of full membership in UNESCO. » Read more

US unblocks aid to Palestinian Authority ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency November 8, 2011 - 1:00am US lawmakers have lifted a hold on nearly $200 million in aid to the Palestinians that had been suspended in response to the Palestinian bid for full UN membership, officials said Monday. The US funds had been held back by Congress since Aug. 18, according to the office of the Republican chairwoman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee chairwoman, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen. » Read more

What Does 'Death to Israel' Mean to You? ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Huffington Post by Bradley Burston - (Opinion) November 7, 2011 - 1:00am My daughter went to school this morning worried about her civics exam. She came home worried about explosive warheads. As of this week, she's in range. Her school is now within reach of rockets that travel farther and with far more deadly payloads than the weapons we knew just a short time ago. With blasts strong enough to shatter apartment windows seven stories in the air. » Read more

Encountering Peace: Let’s not talk? ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Gershon Baskin - (Opinion) November 7, 2011 - 1:00am Shortly before Binyamin Netanyahu began his first term of office as prime minister in 1996, the government of Israel and the Palestinian Authority agreed to create an environmental experts’ committee to undertake the planning and implementation of much needed cooperation on environmental issues. Committee members from both sides were dedicated scientists and environmentalists and were anxious to advance projects that would protect the land, clean up polluted wadis, develop sewage treatment plants and much more. » Read more

Israel is trying to turn Abbas into Arafat ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Akiva Eldar - (Opinion) November 8, 2011 - 1:00am The following story could provide material for a political comedy: About two weeks ago, a delegation from the One Voice peace organization paid a visit to the offices of Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon. Among the guests was Jason Alexander, known to "Seinfeld" devotees as the neurotic George Costanza. They told Ayalon about the organization's extensive activity to prepare young Israeli and Palestinian leaderships who will spread the gospel of peace and reconciliation. » Read more

Israel is trying to turn Abbas into Arafat ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Akiva Eldar - (Opinion) November 8, 2011 - 1:00am The following story could provide material for a political comedy: About two weeks ago, a delegation from the One Voice peace organization paid a visit to the offices of Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon. Among the guests was Jason Alexander, known to "Seinfeld" devotees as the neurotic George Costanza. They told Ayalon about the organization's extensive activity to prepare young Israeli and Palestinian leaderships who will spread the gospel of peace and reconciliation. » Read more

Shalit saga was a defeat for Israel ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Moshe Arens - (Opinion) November 8, 2011 - 1:00am In those terrible days 10 years ago, when Palestinian terror was striking at Israeli civilians almost daily in the streets of the cities of Israel, there were those who argued that terror could not be defeated by military means, while some said that it could not be defeated by military means alone and others argued that terror can and should be defeated solely by military means. » Read more

Fighting to make Israel into a military theocracy ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Yagil Levy - (Opinion) November 8, 2011 - 1:00am Is there a connection between the warning of the outgoing Judea and Samaria Division commander, Brig. Gen. Nitzan Alon - who said a "radical minority, marginal in quantity but not in influence, is liable to bring about extensive escalation through what are called 'price tag' acts but reach the level of terrorism" - and the separation of women at the army's Simhat Torah celebrations? » Read more