March 29th

The Palestinians: Why Is Abbas Running After Hamas?
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Hudson New York
by Khaled Abu Toameh - (Opinion) March 29, 2011 - 12:00am

Instead of searching for ways to revive the peace process with Israel, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has been busy seeking permission from Hamas to visit the Gaza Strip. However those who think that Hamas would one day agree to cede control over the Gaza Strip are living in an illusion. It would be better for Abbas if he invested his energies in reviving the peace process instead of courting Hamas.

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Israel will decide whether to approve 1500 new settlement housing units in occupied East Jerusalem. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is on the international back burner. West Bank villagers are subject to DNA tests regarding the murder of the settler family, and dozens are arrested in possible connection to the attack. The PLO is working on constitutional amendments. Israeli tanks accompany bulldozers into Gaza. Israel makes it easier to revoke citizenship from “terrorists.” Israel is considering annexing some West Bank settlements. Palestinian officials say they might give up US aid for national unity. Palestinian groups deny involvement in Syria unrest. Israel arrests 16 Palestinians in Hebron. Israel threatens unilateral actions if the UN recognizes Palestine. Akiva Eldar looks at how Israel can help change Muslim attitudes. Israel’s new security chief says it could have destroyed Hamas in Gaza. A new poll shows 46% of Israelis support settler violence. Gershon Baskin says Palestine is inevitable. David Horovitz says Palestinians can use the UN Gen. Assembly to advance statehood. Barry Rubin says another Israel-Hamas war is inevitable. Karma Nabulsi says Palestinians need new PNC elections. The Jordan Times says Israel is being intransigent. Yossi Alpher says in a period of unrest Israel has a stake in strengthening Palestinian moderates. Samir Abdullah says Arab democratic change is good for the Palestinians. Khaled Abu Toameh asks why Pres. Abbas is pursuing unity with Hamas.

How can Israel change Muslim extremists' attitude toward Israel?
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Akiva Eldar - (Opinion) March 29, 2011 - 12:00am

Two weeks ago, after the link Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made between the murder in Itamar and Palestinian incitement publications, I reported about a study analyzing the weekly Torah-portion pamphlets distributed in their thousands in Israeli synagogues. The researchers found that the brochures, many of which receive funding from the Education Ministry, use scripture to incite against the Palestinians. The Jews are depicted as the sons of light, while the Muslims are the sons of darkness, murderers, evildoers and bloodthirsty.

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New Shin Bet chief wrote: IDF could've destroyed Hamas in Gaza
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews
by Yitzhak Benhorin - March 29, 2011 - 12:00am

Yoram Cohen, who was named next director of the Shin Bet security service on Monday, wrote that Israel did not take advantage of its military superiority to destroyed Hamas' military capabilities during Operation Cast Lead. During his time as a research fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, Cohen published a paper in which he contended that during the war in Gaza the IDF "undoubtedly could have destroyed Hamas' capabilities" had it employed all of its military force.

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Poll: 46% in favor of 'price tag'
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews
March 28, 2011 - 12:00am

Nearly half of Israel's Jewish population believes the "price tag" activities executed by extreme rightists against Palestinians are justified to a certain extent, according to a survey conducted for Ynet and the Gesher educational organization. The poll was carried out by the Panels research institute following the massacre of five family members in the settlement of Itamar, among 504 respondents who constitute a national representative sample of the adult Jewish population in Israel. The sampling error stands at 4.4%.

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Israel threatens unilateral steps if UN recognizes Palestinian state
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Barak Ravid - March 29, 2011 - 12:00am

Israel informed the 15 members of the United Nations Security Council last week, as well as several other prominent European Union countries, that if the Palestinian Authority persists in its efforts to gain recognition in September as a state within the 1967 borders, Israel would respond with a series of unilateral steps of its own.

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Report: Dozens of Palestinians arrested in connection to Itamar murders
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
March 29, 2011 - 12:00am

Dozens of Palestinians were arrested and given DNA tests in the West Bank town of Awarta in connection to the recent murder of five family members in the nearby settlement of Itamar, Ma'an News Agency reported on Tuesday. Earlier this month, suspected terrorists entered the West Bank settlement of Itamar and murdered Udi and Ruth Fogel, along with three of their young children, including their three-month-old baby, before fleeing the scene. Ma'an reported that among those arrested was the deputy mayor of Awarta and two of his brothers.

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Encountering Peace: Palestine is inevitable
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post
by Gershon Baskin - (Opinion) March 28, 2011 - 12:00am

Palestine is becoming a reality, whether we like it or not. The Palestinian Authority may not be increasing its sovereignty over a single centimeter of land, but the awareness of the emergence of the State of Palestine is spreading all over the world. The government of Israel might believe it has a veto over this process; it may believe it can prevent Palestine from becoming more than a “virtual” state, but it cannot. The battle to prevent Palestinian statehood has been lost, and Israel had better come to terms with this emerging reality.

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Israeli army arrest 16 Palestinians
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua
March 28, 2011 - 12:00am

The Israeli army arrested 16 Palestinians in overnight raids, most of them in the southern city of Hebron, security sources said on Monday. An Israeli army spokesperson told the Israel Radio that the detainees were wanted by the security and intelligence services. Such detention raids have been taking place almost on daily basis since the beginning of the second Palestinian uprising in 2000. Meanwhile, an Israeli settler hit a Palestinian schoolgirl with his car in the West Bank on Monday, said security sources.

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Israeli army arrest 16 Palestinians
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua
March 28, 2011 - 12:00am

The Israeli army arrested 16 Palestinians in overnight raids, most of them in the southern city of Hebron, security sources said on Monday. An Israeli army spokesperson told the Israel Radio that the detainees were wanted by the security and intelligence services. Such detention raids have been taking place almost on daily basis since the beginning of the second Palestinian uprising in 2000. Meanwhile, an Israeli settler hit a Palestinian schoolgirl with his car in the West Bank on Monday, said security sources.

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