U.S. police officials study counterterrorism in Israel ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA) November 1, 2012 - 12:00am WASHINGTON (JTA) – Counterterrorism officials from five U.S. cities met with their counterparts in Israel. Ten officials from five major cities -- New York; Los Angeles; Oakland, Calif.; Austin, Texas; and Houston -- met in mid-October with representatives of Israel's police, the Jerusalem Post reported. The tour focused on "technological and operational advances in counterterrorism," according to the American Jewish Committee's Project Interchange, which organized the tour. Separately, the New York Police Department now has a branch in Israel. » Read more

What the new darling of Israel's center-left really thinks about the West Bank ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Barak Ravid - (Blog) November 1, 2012 - 12:00am It's been two weeks since Moshe Kahlon announced that he was leaving politics. » Read more

UNRWA Teachers Refuse to Teach Holocaust Studies ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Media Line by Adam Nicky - October 30, 2012 - 12:00am AMMAN - Riyadh's thunderous voice silenced some 45 noisy students inBaqaa elementary school for Palestinian refugees before starting his history class. The students listened to a lecture about the Roman Empire and conquest of North Africa.From behind his thick glasses, the long-bearded 37-year-old teacher vehemently rejects the idea of teaching the Holocaust to his class of Palestinian refugees, all hailing from towns now part of Israel after their parents or grandparents fled after the 1948 war. » Read more

PA summons Palestinian columnist for interrogation ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency October 31, 2012 - 12:00am RAMALLAH (Ma'an) -- The Palestinian Authority on Wednesday summoned a Palestinian columnist to answer charges of libel and slander, a media rights group reported. Jihad Harb was summoned by the public prosecutor after a complaint was filed by the president's office, said Mada, the Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms. Harb is accused of a "direct insult to the employees in the Office of the President, through an article was written about two months ago," Mada said in a statement. » Read more

Becoming a people that shall dwell alone ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Shaul Arieli - (Opinion) November 1, 2012 - 12:00am When the election is over, the next Israeli government might have to begin talks with the Palestinians. » Read more

PLO sources: Fayyad proposes new government ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency October 31, 2012 - 12:00am RAMALLAH (Ma’an) -- Prime Minister Salam Fayyad has presented a plan to the PLO leadership to form a more inclusive factional government, officials in Ramallah said Wednesday. Two PLO executive committee members, denying reports that Fayyad had offered his resignation, said he presented a political vision to encourage a more inclusive government. » Read more

Lieberman is a grotesque version of Putin ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Ari Shavit - (Opinion) November 1, 2012 - 12:00am Meretz leader Zahava Gal-On was mistaken when she compared Russian President Vladimir Putin and Yisrael Beiteinu leader Avigdor Lieberman. » Read more

Israeli settlers, police clash amid West Bank outpost demolition ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua November 1, 2012 - 12:00am JERUSALEM, Nov. 1 (Xinhua) -- Several dozen Israeli settlers of a northern West Bank settlement scuffled with police and soldiers during an operation to raze several illegal structures overnight. "Security forces evacuated three illegal buildings," an army source told Xinhua Thursday, in the early morning operation in hilltop Yitzhar's "Haseruga" outpost -- built six months ago without municipal approval. » Read more

Israeli ex-leaders discussing campaign to defeat Netanyahu ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters by Allyn Fisher-Ilan - October 31, 2012 - 12:00am JERUSALEM, Oct 31 (Reuters) - Former leaders Ehud Olmert and Tzipi Livni announced on Wednesday they were discussing a partnership that could shake up Israeli politics and lead to a joint campaign to defeat Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a January election. Olmert, a centrist, was forced to quit as prime minister in 2008 over corruption charges of which he was largely acquitted. Were he to make a comeback, he is seen as possibly the most likely candidate to beat Netanyahu, the right-wing Likud party leader, who polls now predict will win re-election. » Read more

Syrian rebels arm Palestinians against Assad ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters by Mariam Karouny - October 31, 2012 - 12:00am BEIRUT, Oct 31 (Reuters) - Syrian rebels said on Wednesday they had begun arming sympathetic Palestinians to fight a pro-Assad faction in a Palestinian enclave in Damascus - a move which could fuel spiralling intra-Palestinian violence. Two rebel commanders told Reuters they expected their Palestinian allies to fight the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine General Command (PFLP-GC) which dominates the Yarmouk enclave - a one-time refugee camp turned sprawl of apartment blocks which is run by the Palestinians themselves. » Read more