June 10th

Palestinians grapple with opposition to UN plan
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Statesman
by Mohammed Daraghmeh - June 9, 2011 - 12:00am

Faced with opposition from the United States, a number of top Palestinian officials are quietly advising President Mahmoud Abbas to drop plans to seek recognition for a state of Palestine at the United Nations this fall. Top officials say Abbas remains committed to his plan — a result of the widespread sense among Palestinians that two decades of on-and-off negotiations with Israel have run their course, and that the current Israeli leadership is not a partner for peace.

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Israel, the masses are coming
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews
by Alex Fishman - (Opinion) June 8, 2011 - 12:00am

There were days when we mocked the “Hatzatzit,” the stone-throwing vehicle developed by the IDF to respond to the first Intifada’s mass demonstrations. How could it be, we wondered, that the great, wise IDF goes back to the Stone Age and confronts civilians so primitively?

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Israel rocket victims fail in bid to sue Al Jazeera
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Alertnet
by Basil Katz - June 9, 2011 - 12:00am

Victims of 2006 rocket strikes on Israel cannot sue Al Jazeera on grounds the broadcaster intentionally helped Hezbollah attack civilians by reporting the sites of explosions, a U.S. judge ruled this week. The Israeli plaintiffs, who were asking for $1.2 billion in damages from Al Jazeera, said the Qatar-based news network helped Hezbollah militants target their rockets more accurately during the 34-day war with Israel. Their lawsuit, filed a year ago, argued that a Manhattan court had jurisdiction over the case because U.S. citizens had been harmed.

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Israel's rightists are living in a colonial past
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Carlo Strenger - (Blog) June 10, 2011 - 12:00am

Benjamin Netanyahu has one great upside and one great downside: the upside is that he is predictable. The downside is that, when it comes to foreign policy, he is utterly one-sided, uncreative and devoid of initiative, as Meir Dagan has recently pointed out.

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Medics: Gaza hospitals at crisis point
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency
June 10, 2011 - 12:00am

Hospitals in Gaza are at crisis point due to shortages of supplies, medical services spokesman Adham Abu Salmiya said Thursday. Warehouses have run out of over 178 types of medicine, the spokesman said, adding that over 190 types of medical equipment needed for surgery had either run out or were in short supply. Abu Salmiya said doctors in Gaza had been forced to postpone surgeries due to the shortages, and working hours were reduced in many hospitals. The official urged countries in the region to intervene urgently to avert the crisis in Gaza.

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Moussa 'committed' to Palestinian statehood
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency
June 10, 2011 - 12:00am

The Arab League's outgoing chief and Egyptian presidential candidate Amr Moussa told French television on Thursday that he wants to work for peace between Israel and Palestinians but not at any price. "Egypt's position will have to get back to a position of influence in the region and to follow the right policy, which is to establish peace, not at any price," he told France 24 during a visit to Paris. "Not just to move around, joining meetings and so on, but to work diligently and seriously to establish peace. This is what I intend to do if I'm elected," he said.

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June 9th

NEWS: Hamas blames PM Netanyahu for a snag in prisoner exchange talks, and is reportedly considering taking a back-seat in any new government. Hamas and Fatah officials will meet again in Cairo next week. The Palestinian leadership is reportedly divided over the wisdom of a UN statehood bid in September. Former Mossad chief Zvi Zamir expresses concern that Israeli forces have opened fire on unarmed demonstrators. Palestinian officials say they will continue to insist on a complete settlement freeze as a condition for renewed negotiations. International activists play a growing role in the occupied territories. The majority of Palestinians want PM Fayyad to continue in office. The BBC looks at the Palestinian youth movement in Gaza. Olivia Snaije recounts a bicycle trip through the occupied territories. COMMENTARY: Gideon Levy says Israel can’t complain about the Syrian government shooting protesters when it does the same at the border. Ari Shavit says Dagan is right about the need for peace with Palestinians but wrong in some of his comments on Iran. D. Bloomfield says the French peace conference proposal is a good opportunity for Pres. Abbas. Larry Derfner says the Israeli military should not shoot unarmed protesters. JJ Goldberg says Israel’s leaders need to listen to Dagan. Eric Alterman says only Republicans benefit from the rift between Pres. Obama and Netanyahu. George Hishmeh says Arab-Americans should organize to counter Israeli propaganda.

Hamas: Netanyahu responsible for swap deal delay
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency
June 9, 2011 - 12:00am

Hamas leader Moussa Abu Marzouq blamed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday, for what he said was a delay in the release of Israeli and Palestinian prisoners in a swap deal. Citing Netanyahu's "intransigence," the official said the leader bore "full responsibility" for the continued confinement of captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit as well as thousands of Palestinians considered prisoners of war.

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NEWS: Hamas blames PM Netanyahu for a snag in prisoner exchange talks, and is reportedly considering taking a back-seat in any new government. Hamas and Fatah officials will meet again in Cairo next week. The Palestinian leadership is reportedly divided over the wisdom of a UN statehood bid in September. Former Mossad chief Zvi Zamir expresses concern that Israeli forces have opened fire on unarmed demonstrators. Palestinian officials say they will continue to insist on a complete settlement freeze as a condition for renewed negotiations. International activists play a growing role in the occupied territories. The majority of Palestinians want PM Fayyad to continue in office. The BBC looks at the Palestinian youth movement in Gaza. Olivia Snaije recounts a bicycle trip through the occupied territories. COMMENTARY: Gideon Levy says Israel can’t complain about the Syrian government shooting protesters when it does the same at the border. Ari Shavit says Dagan is right about the need for peace with Palestinians but wrong in some of his comments on Iran. D. Bloomfield says the French peace conference proposal is a good opportunity for Pres. Abbas. Larry Derfner says the Israeli military should not shoot unarmed protesters. JJ Goldberg says Israel’s leaders need to listen to Dagan. Eric Alterman says only Republicans benefit from the rift between Pres. Obama and Netanyahu. George Hishmeh says Arab-Americans should organize to counter Israeli propaganda.

Erekat: Settlement freeze a must
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews
by Elior Levy - June 9, 2011 - 12:00am

A settlement construction freeze is still a precondition for Palestinian talks with Israel, senior Fatah official Saeb Erekat told Ynet Wednesday. Erekat denied an earlier Washington Post report whereby the Palestinian Authority is willing to renounce the building freeze demand. Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat backs Mideast policy speech given by Barack Obama, which urges return to 1967 borders with land exchanges, but in a new twist says nothing of halting West Bank settlement activity

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