February 1st

Palestinian Adversaries Unite, for Now, on Egypt
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times
by Fares Akram, Isabel Kershner - January 31, 2011 - 1:00am

The Hamas rulers of Gaza and the rival Palestinian Authority leadership of the West Bank rarely see eye-to-eye on anything. But with mass protests rocking Egypt, across Gaza’s southern border, the Palestinian adversaries have united in maintaining a cautious silence, hedging their bets given the unpredictability of the outcome and clearly concerned about a possible spread of popular unrest to their areas.

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Mubarak's Role and Mideast Peace
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times
(Opinion) February 1, 2011 - 1:00am

The uprising in Egypt has created turmoil for Israeli and Palestinian leaders, who have their own complicated relationships with the Mubarak regime. For Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel, President Hosni Mubarak has been his strongest ally in the region. At the same time, Mr. Mubarak has been a firm ally of the Palestinian Authority and a staunch supporter of the stalled Israeli-Palestinian peace process. Egypt has also tried to broker reconciliation talks (so far, unsuccessfully) between Fatah, the party governing the West Bank, and Hamas, which controls Gaza.

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January 31st

Israel expresses anxiety about developments in Egypt. The Gaza-Egypt border is sealed indefinitely, and Gazans worry about a vital lifeline. A senior Fatah official says Pres. Abbas is seriously considering holding elections. A Palestinian citizen of Israel is sentenced to nine years in prison for spying for Hezbollah. A Turkish action film is likely to increase tensions with Israel. Palestinians clash with occupation forces following the funeral of a Palestinian. Four settlers have been arrested on suspicion of involvement. Amira Hass says Egypt notwithstanding, Palestinians have lost their faith in uprisings. Cyprus reportedly recognizes Palestine in its 1967 borders. Herb Keinon says unrest in Egypt will only reinforce PM Netanyahu's core positions on security. The Obama administration may veto a possible UN resolution on Israeli settlement built.

Egypt or not, Palestinians have lost their faith in rising up
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Amira Hass - January 31, 2011 - 1:00am

Over the shelves of lettuce and broccoli (product of Israel ), and the honey, eggs, parsley and coriander (product of Palestine ), the demonstrators on television are no longer the same. The TV set in the vegetable shop in Ramallah is situated opposite the cashier, and the live broadcasts from the streets of Tunis two weeks ago, and from Egypt and Jordan this past week, drew more ratings than the soap operas and religious sermons customers often see playing there.

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Report: Cyprus recognizes Palestinian state
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews
January 31, 2011 - 1:00am

Palestinian news agency claims Abbas received letter from President Christofias saying his country hopes for 'peaceful solution ensuring independent Palestinian state with east Jerusalem as its capital.' Cyprus: Our position hasn't changed since 1988, it coincides with EU's stance Cyprus has recognized a Palestinian state within the 1967 borders, Ramallah-based news agency WAFA reported Sunday.

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Mourners, Israel troops clash after WBank funeral
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters
January 29, 2011 - 1:00am

Palestinian mourners clashed with Israeli troops who used tear gas and rubber-coated bullets after the funeral of a youth in the West Bank on Saturday, Palestinian witnesses and the army said. The mourners hurled rocks at soldiers after the funeral of Youssef Fakhri-Khlil, 17, who died of his wounds after being shot by Jewish settlers in the West Bank on Friday. An army spokeswoman said troops responded with "riot dispersal means".

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2 more suspects arrested over killing of Palestinian
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews
by Yair Altman - January 31, 2011 - 1:00am

Four suspects under investigation for shooting during field trip near Bat Ayin. One hiker tells Ynet: 'It was a real battle' Police are continuing their investigation into the killing of a 19-year-old Palestinian during a settlers' trip in Gush Etzion last Friday. Police arrested two more suspects Sunday in connection with the Bat Ayin shooting.

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Turkish action film set to worsen ties with Israel
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters
January 30, 2011 - 1:00am

A new Turkish film in which an action-man hero avenges the death of Turkish activists in Israel's deadly raid on a Gaza-bound aid ship is likely to put new strain on already tense relations between Turkey and Israel. "Valley of the Wolves: Palestine", one of the most expensive Turkish films ever made, has drawn accusations at home of excessive violence and abroad of anti-Israeli propaganda, but it attracted big audiences at its opening this weekend.

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Israeli Arabs: We won't be guinea pigs
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews
by Hassan Shaalan - January 31, 2011 - 1:00am

Hundreds of sector's representatives reject Olmert government's initiative for land exchange in divided Arab towns, say 'we were born here and will die here' Hundreds of representatives of the Arab sector gathered in the northern city of Baqa al-Gharbiyye on Saturday afternoon and clarified that they would not agree to be transferred to the Palestinian territories.

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Israeli court jails Hezbollah spy for nine years
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters
January 30, 2011 - 1:00am

An Israeli court sentenced an Israeli-Arab human rights activist to nine years in prison on Sunday after convicting him last year of spying for the Lebanese guerrilla group Hezbollah. Amir Makhoul had confessed to the spying charge as part of a plea bargain at Haifa District Court, which added a further year's suspended sentence to the nine years behind bars. The court dropped a separate charge carrying a much longer sentence.

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