Rivlin in Itamar: Israel is ours in its entirety
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews
by Yair Altman - August 31, 2011 - 12:00am

Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin visited the West Bank settlement of Itamar in a show of support for the the community where five family members were slaughtered earlier this year, and said he believes that "the land of Israel is ours in its entirety." Rivlin met with Samaria Council Head Gershon Massika, toured an elementary school and paid a visit to the Fogel family's home, the site of the brutal attack that took place in March.

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Israel headed for disaster
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews
by Ilan Baruch - (Opinion) August 30, 2011 - 12:00am

Media outlets are reporting that a telegram recently sent by Israel’s UN envoy to Jerusalem reveals that the words uttered by senior officials such as Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon are merely empty talk. The UN ambassador estimated that it’s impossible to curb the international wave of support for the notion of an independent Palestinian state.

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Finance Minister reneges on deal to give early payment to Palestinian Authority
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Barak Ravid - August 31, 2011 - 12:00am

Israeli Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz rejected a Palestinian Authority request that it move up payment of NIS 380 million in tax revenues so that the PA could pay salaries before the holiday of Id al-Fitr, which began Tuesday.

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Israel must get ready for its own Hurricane Irene
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Amira Hass - (Opinion) August 31, 2011 - 12:00am




Gaza, West Bank to live in different time zones
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency
August 28, 2011 - 12:00am

GAZA CITY (Ma'an) -- For the first time in history, Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip will live in different time zones. Clocks were pushed back an hour at the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan on August 1 in the West Bank and Gaza. The Palestinian Authority cabinet decided Tuesday to revert to summer time (+3 hours GMT) at the end of Ramadan. The cabinet announced that the Eid Al-Fitr holiday which marks the end of Ramadan would begin Tuesday.

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Steinitz: Palestinian UN bid 'greater threat' than Hamas
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency
August 31, 2011 - 12:00am

JERUSALEM (AFP) -- The Palestinian campaign to secure full UN membership presents a greater threat to Israel than that posed by Hamas, the Israeli finance minister said on Wednesday. "This Palestinian initiative represents a more serious threat than that posed by Hamas," Yuval Steinitz told Israel's public radio. If the Palestinians made good on their plans to seek United Nations membership, Israel would "respond," he promised.

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The Israel-Egypt junta alliance
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Zvi Barel - (Opinion) August 31, 2011 - 12:00am

We were shocked. Suddenly we were told that Egypt is being run by a "military junta." We were also surprised to discover that after 33 years of peace, the peace agreement was signed with a dictator, and that we continued on with the dictator who followed him after he was assassinated. And now this peace is about to collapse, because the dictator is gone and the junta has arrived.

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New Egypt troop presence in Sinai a gamble for Israel
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Los Angeles Times
by Edmund Sanders - August 30, 2011 - 12:00am

Reporting from Tel Aviv— The aftermath of the "Arab Spring" is forcing Israel to gamble with what had long been one of the foundations of its security: a demilitarized Sinai peninsula.

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New Egypt troop presence in Sinai a gamble for Israel
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Los Angeles Times
by Edmund Sanders - August 30, 2011 - 12:00am

Reporting from Tel Aviv— The aftermath of the "Arab Spring" is forcing Israel to gamble with what had long been one of the foundations of its security: a demilitarized Sinai peninsula.

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August 30th

NEWS: The Israeli military is training settlers to fight Palestinian protesters. Larry Derfner is fired by the Jerusalem Post. Egypt is discussing raising its troop levels in Sinai with Israel. Israel says weapons are coming to Gaza from Libya. Hamas says reconciliation talks are going “very slowly.” PM Netanyahu meets with experts to discuss the possible borders of a future Palestinian state. Gaza NGOs express “horror” at new Hamas travel restrictions. Israeli officials say a 10-man cell is planning new attacks from Sinai. Egyptians debate their relationship with Israel. House Republicans propose a new bill to end funding to Palestinian refugees, among other measures. COMMENTARY: Amir Oren doubts Netanyahu really believes in military restraint. Akiva Eldar says Palestinian strategy will make it difficult for the US to oppose a UN initiative. Avi Yesawich says anything that happens at the UN will be purely symbolic and counterproductive. Khaled Diab says enemies need to begin to look for the good in each other. Gershon Baskin says resistance to Palestinian statehood by Israelis is national suicide and the Forward profiles him. Frida Ghitis says some are pushing for a new war in the Middle East. Palestinian refugees in Syria condemn attacks by the Assad regime. Geoffrey Paul looks in a new book by Hirsh Goodman on Israel's difficulties developing a viable peace strategy. House Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Ileana Ros-Lehtinen says the US should punish the UN for any Palestinian initiative whatsoever by cutting off funds.

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