August 30th

Love thy neighboring enemy ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Khaled Diab - (Opinion) August 29, 2011 - 12:00am Last week’s coordinated terror attacks in the South were a tragedy, and my condolences go out to the bereaved families of the victims. Continued violence is not the answer to this conflict, and targeting civilians is a war crime – for good reason – regardless of who commits it or why. While Israel’s grief and anger are understandable, its predictable decision to respond to terror with military attacks is not, especially since, in this decades-old conflict, every ugly action is seen as a justified reaction to a perceived uglier precedent. » Read more

Netanyahu examining possible future borders of a Palestinian state ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Barak Ravid - August 30, 2011 - 12:00am Colonel Danny Terza, who outlined the map for an Israeli withdrawal from the West Bank for former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, has spent the past few months advising Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the possible future borders of a Palestinian state. The talks between Netanyahu and Terza represent the first time that the prime minister has dedicated official groundwork to the subject of future borders. » Read more

Palestinian reconciliation goes forward slowly: Haneya ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua August 30, 2011 - 12:00am Implementing the Palestinian reconciliation deal takes a long time, Prime Minister of the deposed Hamas administration in Gaza Ismail Haneya said Tuesday. "The implementation is going on very slowly," Haneya said during a mass prayer in the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip to mark the end of Muslims' fasting month of Ramadan. "The reconciliation should be based on clear principles and concentrated choices that do not give up any of those principles," Haneya added, stressing on the option of armed resistance against Israel. » Read more

The day after Palestine ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Avi Yesawich - (Opinion) August 30, 2011 - 12:00am In three weeks, a sovereign Palestinian state will almost certainly be welcomed into the United Nations – if not by the UN Security Council then as a “non-member state” by the General Assembly. Worldwide celebrations in honor of the new Palestinian state will undoubtedly take place. Unfortunately, this festival will be honoring a superficial development; an illusion of achievement. In reality, recognition of a Palestinian state in the current political climate will not resolve any of the outstanding issues of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, only exacerbate them. » Read more

New Palestinian strategy document will make it difficult for U.S. to oppose UN vote ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Akiva Eldar - (Analysis) August 30, 2011 - 12:00am Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is probably aware that when it comes to a media event, like a speech at the UN General Assembly, President Shimon Peres doesn’t have to be asked twice to sacrifice himself for the nation. Someone who has been watching the honorable president for decades once told me that Peres is blessed with a unique characteristic: He always knows how to adjust reality according to his needs at the time. » Read more

Israel says Gaza gets anti-plane arms from Libya ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Alertnet August 29, 2011 - 12:00am Palestinians in Gaza have acquired anti-aircraft and anti-tank rockets from Libya during its six-month civil war, enlarging but not significantly improving their arsenal, Israeli officials said on Monday. While the rebellion against Muammar Gaddafi has stirred concern abroad about the fate of Libya's ageing chemical weapons stockpiles, Israel has no indication Hamas or other Palestinian factions have sought these, the officials said. » Read more

Jerusalem Post fires writer over 'right to terror' ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency August 30, 2011 - 12:00am The English-language Jerusalem Post said on Tuesday it had terminated the employment of a columnist who wrote in a private blog that Palestinians "have the right to use terrorism" against Israelis. The right-leaning daily announced on its front page that US-born writer Larry Derfner was being dismissed "due to a professional disagreement... connected to his personal blog." » Read more

Netanyahu's show of 'restraint' is meaningless ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Amir Oren - (Opinion) August 30, 2011 - 12:00am The government of Benjamin Netanyahu excels at presenting what is self-evident as the peak of wisdom. The decision to make do with a series of air strikes on the Gaza Strip following the terror attack north of Eilat a week and a half ago, was celebrated as tremendous brilliance. By extension of this logic, a minister who will suddenly announce that two and two equals four would expect the Nobel Prize in Mathematics ?(and being turned down will be explained as anti-Semitism?). » Read more

Calls to raise Israel-Egypt treaty troop limits ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Statesman by Amy Teibel - August 29, 2011 - 12:00am A deadly attack on Israel from Egypt's Sinai Peninsula has sparked calls to raise the number of Egyptian troops allowed in the area under the historic peace treaty with Israel, to counter a surge in Islamist militant activity. But some in Israel, afraid the recent revolt in Egypt might lead to the collapse of the pact, are wary of altering it in any way. Israel says Palestinian militants crossed from Gaza into Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, made their way along the Israel-Egypt border, crossed back into Israel, attacked Israeli vehicles and killed eight people on Aug. 18. » Read more

Israeli army trains West Bank settlers ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency August 30, 2011 - 12:00am The Israeli army is training settlers in the West Bank to repel any violent protests in the territories when the Palestinians try to secure UN membership next month, the military said. Asked to confirm a story first reported in Haaretz newspaper, the army issued a written statement saying it was in the process of training settlement response teams, "to deal with any possible scenario." But it declined to give details on "operational preparedness." » Read more