February 11th

Crossing borders: the long, lonely walk to Gaza ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Guardian by Harriet Sherwood - February 10, 2011 - 1:00am I've been in Gaza this week, and - as always – found the experience of crossing from Israel into the Strip and back again unnerving. The vast Israeli terminal, reminiscent of an international airport, is almost deserted. It was planned at a time when thousands of Palestinians crossed in to Israel each day to work. Now very few Palestinians can leave through Erez, and no Israelis are allowed to enter. So it's pretty much the preserve of journalists and NGO workers. » Read more

Israel Seeks to Widen Strategic Partnerships Beyond the U.S., Meridor Says ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Media Line by Arieh O'Sullivan - February 10, 2011 - 1:00am While America remains Israel’s strongest and most important ally, the Jewish state needs to explore widening its strategic partnerships to other countries in the Middle East and with the world’s emerging powers, Israel’s Deputy Prime Minister Dan Meridor told The Media Line. “The world is changing and moving. China is growing we need to have good relations with them,” Meridor said. “China is beginning to play a more important role in foreign policy. India is an important country. We are no longer enemies with Russia, of course, and Russia is an important.” » Read more

Task Force Changes Mideast Debate Media Mention of ATFP In The Jewish Daily Forward - February 9, 2011 - 1:00am As developments in Egypt move many Israelis to become more wary of a peace process that will require them to give up occupied land and Jewish settlements on the West Bank, Palestinian advocates for a two-state solution in Washington are struggling to persuade Israel’s supporters that the opposite is true. » Read more

70 rabbis protest arrest warrant against Rabbi Dov Lior ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Jonah Mandel - February 10, 2011 - 1:00am Nearly 70 prominent national religious rabbis signed a letter of protest published in a Friday newspaper, over the police’s announced intention to arrest Kiryat Arba Chief Rabbi Dov Lior if he continued to ignore their requests to present himself for questioning about his endorsement of the book Torah Hamelech. » Read more

Arab democracy good for us ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Nechama Duek - (Opinion) February 10, 2011 - 1:00am The images we receive from Egypt, Tunisia and Yemen make me happy. They indicate that the Arab world is finally joining the global trend of shifting from dictatorships to democracies. As we know, democracy isn’t perfect, yet a better alternative has yet to be invented. » Read more

Clashes in Bedouin village leave 6 wounded ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Ilana Curiel - February 10, 2011 - 1:00am Residents of al-Arakib, the Bedouin village not recognized by the State of Israel, clashed Thursday with police forces and JNF officials who came to plant trees in the area. Four women and two men were lightly injured and three people were arrested on suspicion of hurling stones. The wounded were taken to the Soroka University Medical Center in Beersheba. The clashes broke out after residents and activists disrupted JNF forestry work in the area. » Read more

Israel issues alert over Hezbollah plans to attack or kidnap Israelis abroad ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Barak Ravid - February 11, 2011 - 1:00am The Israel Counter Terrorism Bureau issued a warning Friday morning to Israeli travelers in anticipation of threats resulting from the anniversary of the assassination of Hezbollah officials Imad Mughniyah and Abbas al-Masawi, both of which were allegedly perpetrated by Israel. The bureau cautioned the Israeli public that because of the increased threat of terror attacks against Israelis abroad, travels certain destinations should be avoided, including Egypt, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Armenia, Côte d'Ivoire, Mauritania and Venezuela. » Read more

IDF to remove major West Bank checkpoint to enable Palestinian movement ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Chaim Levinson - February 11, 2011 - 1:00am The Israel Defense Forces yesterday advised the Palestinian Authority that it is removing the Hawara checkpoint, near Nablus. The measure, which is to go into effect next week, will enable the nearly unrestricted movement of Palestinians between the West Bank cities of Nablus and Ramallah. » Read more

What do the Muslim Brotherhood and the ultra-Orthodox religious-right have in common? ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Anshel Pfeffer - February 11, 2011 - 1:00am A few months from now, Egypt may come under the rule of a government dominated by the Muslim Brotherhood, whose supreme spiritual leader said just a few years ago that God would "destroy the seed of the Jews and extirpate them from the world. These Jews are accursed scoundrels, crying crocodile tears while they murder people; it is forbidden to have any mercy on them. We have to destroy them with great missiles." » Read more

Israeli intelligence forecasts security "earthquake" in Mideast in 2011 ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua February 11, 2011 - 1:00am The Military Intelligence (MI) of Israel Defense Forces assesses that dramatic strategic changes in the Middle East will unfold in late 2011, Israeli daily Yediot Aharonot reported Thursday. In the wake of mass demonstrations in Egypt against President Hosni Mubarak's regime in recent weeks, MI's analysts predict a weakening of the security cooperation between Israel and the Palestinian National Authority, alongside a hardening of Palestinian demands for renewing the stalled peace process. » Read more