Leading Article: Mere words will not secure peace ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Independent (Editorial) January 18, 2012 - 1:00am Nick Clegg's description this week of Israeli settlements as "deliberate vandalism" of the basic premise of peace negotiations drew a sharp response from Israel. Yet it was only exceptional in making public what every sentient minister across Europe knows to be true, but seldom dares to say. There is ample justification for his remarks in two recent internal EU reports covered in this newspaper. » Read more

Hamas Leader Stepping Down in ‘Pure Speculation’ ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The National by Hugh Naylor - January 18, 2012 - 1:00am GAZA CITY // Khaled Meshaal has no plans to step down as the head of Hamas, a spokesman for the Islamist group said yesterday, denying reports the Damascus-based leader would resign. Fawzi Barhoum described as "pure speculation" a flurry of news articles in the Arabic media yesterday saying Mr Meshaal, 55, would relinquish his position soon. "For anything like this to be true, there would have to be a formal announcement by either the movement or Mr Meshaal himself," said Mr Barhoum, a spokesman in the Gaza Strip, which Hamas controls. » Read more

Israel must understand that Europe is indeed relevant ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Carlo Strenger - (Opinion) January 18, 2012 - 1:00am First Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion’s adage ‘what matters is not what the goyim say, but what the Jews do," may have been charming when Israel was a young state, but does not befit a mature country. Nevertheless, current Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government has made this adage into a whole worldview. » Read more

Obama Commends Abdullah For Promoting Peace ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post January 18, 2012 - 1:00am US President Barack Obama expressed appreciation for Jordanian King Abdullah's efforts in encouraging "peace and prosperity" in the Middle East, after the two held talks on Tuesday. Noting Abdullah's role in decrying the Syrian government's violent crackdown on protesters, Obama said of the Jordanian leader, "I want to thank him for his willingness to stand up. As a consequence, Jordan has been part of an overall Arab League effort to encourage this sort of peaceful transition inside of Syria that is needed." » Read more

‘Hamas Bans Reality TV Singing Competition in Gaza’ ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post January 18, 2012 - 1:00am A Gazan version of "X-Factor" is prohibited as Hamas says it "contradicts the customs and traditions of Gaza community." Hamas banned Gaza residents from taking part in a national reality X-Factor style show called New Star, Palestinian news agency Ma'an reported Monday. Hamas's reason for prohibiting the television show - produced by Ma'an TV- was that the program was "indecent," Ma'an reported.

Tibi’s Limerick on MK Michaeli’s ‘Plumbing’ Earns Him Suspension ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Moran Azulay - January 17, 2012 - 1:00am The Knesset's Ethics Committee on Tuesday suspended Knesset Member Ahmad Tibi from the plenum and from participating in committee meetings for a period of one week over a limerick he read out during a plenum sitting called "Anasstasia's plumbing was damaged." Tibi wrote the limerick following the incident in which MK Anasstasia Michaeli threw a glass of water in MK Raleb Majadele's face. The suspension will come into force on Sunday. » Read more

Israel suffers from political alzheimer's disease ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Zvi Barel - (Opinion) January 18, 2012 - 1:00am The leader of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani, dropped a bombshell this week when, asked in an interview if he was in favor of Arab nations intervening in Syria, he said, "For such a situation to stop the killing ... some troops should go to stop the killing." It was the first time an Arab leader has proposed sending soldiers to another Arab state to come to the aid of that country's citizens. And considering an Arab military alternative to a Western military operation would be a first for the Arab League. » Read more

Israeli Defense Minister Says West Bank Faces “Period of Uncertainty” ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua January 17, 2012 - 1:00am JERUSALEM, Jan. 17 (Xinhua) -- Defense Minister Ehud Barak said on Tuesday that though the West Bank has been stable in recent years, Israel's security establishment is gearing up for a "period of uncertainty" in the region. Speaking during a visit to the Israeli army's West Bank Division, Barak said that the military's most important mission is to protect the lives of Israeli settlers in the area. » Read more

Shia Group ‘Attacked by Police’ in Gaza ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency January 18, 2012 - 1:00am BETHLEHEM (Ma'an) -- A group of Shiite worshipers say masked police violently raided a religious service in the northern Gaza Strip on Saturday, prompting furious denials by the Hamas-dominated government in the territory. Around 20 followers of the Shia branch of Islam were performing a ceremony for Ashura, the commemoration of the death of Prophet Muhammad's grandson Hussein, when masked police stormed the private home in Beit Lahiya, they told Palestinian human rights groups. » Read more

Could Israel Live With A Nuclear Iran? A Gaming Exercise Suggests Yes ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Christian Science Monitor by Joshua Mitnick - January 17, 2012 - 1:00am Three months before the recent upsurge in tension with Tehran over its nuclear program, an Israeli think tank simulated fallout from what many here consider the unthinkable: an Iranian nuclear explosive test. The results of the simulation, published this week, are not the Middle East doomsday that some here have warned of. Rather than use the weapon to attack the Jewish state – as many Israeli leaders fear – the experts playing Iran leveraged the newly unveiled military power as a bargaining chip with the US and Europe. Those representing Israel played down the new threat. » Read more