So sorry, President Obama, please forgive Netanyahu ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Yossi Sarid - (Opinion) November 8, 2012 - 1:00am Only my closest friends are aware of the hasty steps I was contemplating if Barack Hussein Obama had been denied a second term. That would have been really much too much for me; there's a limit. Do I have strength of stone and flesh of brass? That's just what we would've needed, for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to win not just here, but there - when winning there is more important. The three-stranded rope - Sheldon Adelson, Mitt Romney and Netanyahu - would have been a wound around our necks and choked us. Now, at least, we can breathe. » Read more

A time for Obama to be bold ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Washington Post by David Ignatius - (Opinion) November 7, 2012 - 1:00am There’s a telling moment at the beginning of Robert A. Caro’s new book when Lyndon Johnson’s advisers are gathered, four days after he has become president, to draft his first speech to Congress. Capitol Hill is divided, the country is grieving from the assassination of his predecessor and some of LBJ’s advisers are urging him to take it slow. “Well, what the hell’s the presidency for?” Johnson replies. » Read more

Barak: Palestinian UN bid must be delayed ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Tovah Lazaroff - November 8, 2012 - 1:00am Israel and the US must delay Palestinian unilateral statehood moves at the UN until after the Israeli elections, Defense Minister Ehud Barak said on Wednesday night. He spoke on Channel 10 hours after US President Barack Obama was elected to a second four-year term. “We have a joint interest, ours and theirs, to delay the Palestinian UN bid for nonmember state,” he said. “This has to be done now, immediately.” » Read more

3 mortar shells fired from Syria hit Israel ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Eli Ashkenazi - November 8, 2012 - 1:00am Three mortar shells were fired from Syria into northern Israel on Thursday, in what appears to have been an errant targeting. One of the shells landed on the fence surrounding the Alonei Habashan community, but did not explode. The other two exploded in open areas. No casualties were reported. This is the third security incident involving Syria in less than a week. On Monday evening, an Israel Defense Forces jeep was hit by a bullet from Syria near the Syria-Israel border. No one was injured in the incident, but the vehicle was damaged. » Read more

After jail sentence, Bassem Tamimi declared prisoner of conscience ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency November 8, 2012 - 1:00am BETHLEHEM (Ma'an) -- Palestinian activist Bassem Tamimi, who has been sentenced to four months in prison in a plea bargain with an Israeli court, is a prisoner of conscience and should be released, Amnesty International said on Wednesday. Tamimi was detained on Oct. 24 during a protest at an Israeli supermarket in a Jewish settlement near Ramallah. Ofer military court sentenced him to four months in prison and fined him 5,000 shekels ($1,280) in a plea bargain on Tuesday, Amnesty said. » Read more

Blair: Obama win opens way for new Mideast push ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters by Crispian Balmer - November 8, 2012 - 1:00am JERUSALEM (Reuters) -- President Barack Obama's election victory opens the way for renewed efforts to revive moribund peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians, Middle East envoy Tony Blair said on Wednesday. Speaking hours after Obama won a second term in office, the former British prime minister told Reuters he did not believe the United States had lost interest in the decades-old conflict, adding that he hoped to see a fresh initiative soon. » Read more

Hamas MP says Abbas not welcome in Gaza ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency November 8, 2012 - 1:00am GAZA CITY (Ma'an) -- Hamas-affiliated MP Yahia Mousa said Wednesday he would not welcome Mahmoud Abbas to the Gaza Strip, after the president was reported to have considered a joint visit with the Turkish premier. "No hello, no welcome, no greeting, your visit is refused. Gaza is the house of the revolution and the revolutionary, and we don't welcome anyone who sells our homeland," Mousa posted on his official Facebook account. » Read more

Erekat: UN bid aims to preserve two-state solution ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency November 8, 2012 - 1:00am JERICHO (Ma'an) -- Israel's settlement policy is threatening the two-state solution, not the PLO's bid to upgrade Palestine's status at the UN, PLO negotiator Saeb Erekat said Thursday. Erekat said Palestine's request for non-member statehood of the UN did not contradict the two-state solution, in separate meetings with Quartet envoy Tony Blair, US consul Michael Ratney and French consul Frédéric Desagneaux. » Read more

Russia’s Putin hosts Israeli counterpart for talks on economy, international crises ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press November 8, 2012 - 1:00am MOSCOW — Russia’s President Vladimir Putin has hosted his Israeli counterpart Shimon Peres for talks focusing on economic ties and international crises. Putin said at the start of Thursday’s meeting with Peres that bilateral ties have been developing successfully. The two leaders were expected to discuss the situation in Syria among other international issues. » Read more

Israel ready to resume peace talks with Palestinians without preconditions ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua November 7, 2012 - 1:00am JERUSALEM, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the Quartet's (U.S., UN, EU and Russia) middle east envoy Tony Blair that he is ready to resume peace negotiations with the Palestinians without preconditions. Netanyahu met with Blair on Wednesday during the latter's visit to Israel and responded to remarks made by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas recently. » Read more