January 25th

Hollywood's Jews need to see Israel's "Footnote," Oscar or no
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Bradley Burston - (Analysis) January 25, 2012 - 1:00am

In an age of films imagining all, baring all, demolishing all, in this decade of cinematic Holocaust and Jewish-Arab confrontation and IDF agonistes, in this season of obsession with Iran, why should Hollywood's Jews go to see a picture about an abrasively dysfunctional relationship between professors of Talmud strait-jacketed in thick sweaters and inhibition? Because they need to.

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Israeli, Palestinian Negotiators Clash at Jordan Meeting
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Jack Khoury, Barak Ravid - January 25, 2012 - 1:00am

A bitter confrontation broke out between the head of the Israeli negotiating team Yitzhak Molcho and chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat during their meeting In Jordan on Saturday, after Erekat refused to let a senior Israeli officer present the Israeli position on security arrangements.

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Palestinians To Declare End of Exploratory Talks With Israel
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua
January 25, 2012 - 1:00am

RAMALLAH, Jan. 25 (Xinhua) -- The Palestinians will declare the end of exploratory discussions with Israel after their sixth meeting in the Jordanian capital of Amman ends Wednesday, sources said. On Tuesday night, Palestinian and Israeli negotiators held their fifth meeting in Amman, but failed to make any progress in reviving stalled peace talks between the two sides, an official at the negotiation affairs department of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.

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No compromise on Migron outpost
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Zvi Barel - (Opinion) January 25, 2012 - 1:00am

Strong, choking nausea wells up in face of the "compromise proposal" Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has offered the trespassers in Migron. It is hard to identify exactly what is causing this. Is it the fact that the prime minister has once again surrendered to the settlers? Is it the realization of the weakness of the Israel Defense Forces - the army that apparently can attack Iran but can't manage to impose its sovereignty over a handful of settlers? Or could it be that the nausea is a symptom of a fatal disease that has been going on for decades and has been treated only with aspirin?

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Abbas Wants Jordan Meeting to be Last
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency
January 25, 2012 - 1:00am

AMMAN, Jordan (Ma'an) -- Palestinian Authority officials asserted Wednesday that President Mahmoud Abbas "refused and will continue to refuse” holding more meetings between Israeli and Palestinian negotiators in Jordan. Palestinian and Israeli negotiators are scheduled to hold a fifth meeting in Amman on Wednesday in an attempt to resume face-to-face peace negotiations and sort out unresolved issues.

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Barghouti: Conflict Ends After Israeli Withdrawal
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency
January 25, 2012 - 1:00am

BETHLEHEM (Ma'an) -- The Palestinian-Israeli conflict will come to an end only when the occupation comes to an end and Israel withdraws to the pre-1967 borders, jailed Fatah leader Marwan Barghouti said Wednesday. Barghouti, former secretary-general of Fatah in the West Bank, on Wednesday testified in court in Jerusalem in a case filed by Israeli Kleinman family against the Palestinian Authority. Asked by reporters whether he intends to run for a parliamentary seat in the upcoming elections, Barghouti said: "The PA has yet to set a date ... Once they do, we'll see what happens."

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Palestinian Leader Says Low-Level Talks With Israel Have Ended, But Doesn’t Rule Out Extension
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press
January 25, 2012 - 1:00am

RAMALLAH, West Bank — The Palestinian president says exploratory talks with Israel on resuming full-fledged peace negotiations have run their course. Mahmoud Abbas said Wednesday that he’ll consult with the Arab League next week on whether to extend them. He spoke in Jordan after meeting King Abdullah II. The Palestinians face mounting international pressure not to walk away. EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton is talking to Abbas and Israel’s prime minister about this in the next two days.

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January 24th

NEWS: Israeli forces arrest two Hamas officials at a protest in occupied East Jerusalem, bringing the total number detained in recent days to 5. One of them is ordered jailed for 6 months without charges.The US says the latest composition of the UN Security Council isn't more favorable to the Palestinians. A Jordanian official says Hamas leader Mishaal will visit that country on Sunday, along with the emir of Qatar. Hamas says Mishaal won't be visiting Gaza anytime soon. PM Netanyahu may have finally reached an agreement with settlers in a large “unauthorized” outpost. Israeli authorities say they will not interfere with two PA police stations on the outskirts of municipal Jerusalem. Israeli embassies and consulates in many places are on high alert due to an anthrax scare. DM Barak says if Hamas accepts the Quartet principles and renounces violence, Israel will negotiate with it. COMMENTARY: The Washington Times interviews PM Fayyad. Sefi Rachlevsky says Israel has its most extreme government. Akiva Eldar says mainstream Israeli society is coming to terms with the historical facts of the Palestinian Nakba. Barak Ravid says Pres. Abbas is eager to continue negotiations but Israel will have to play its part for that to happen. Ehud Eiran says Israel needs to urgently repair relations with Turkey. Omar Ghraieb says Palestinians remained badly divided. Matthew Weinstein says depictions of Israel in films at the Sundance Festival range from critical to abysmal. JJ Goldberg says Jewish Americans should take the resignation of an editor who suggested Israel might assassinate Pres. Obama as an opportunity for introspection. Elias Harfoush says Mishaal's apparent decision to step down indicates Hamas may be attempting to emulate Islamist parties in emerging Arab democracies. Amb. Peter Millett says Israeli-Palestinian peace is achievable and necessary.

Giving peace a chance
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jordan Times
by Peter Millett - (Opinion) January 24, 2012 - 1:00am

As has been widely reported, His Majesty King Abdullah has succeeded in bringing Israeli and Palestinian negotiators together for the first time in 16 months. They have held three meetings in Amman, choreographed by Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh. Comments in the international press have seen a wide range of optimism, pessimism and cynicism. It is easy to be pessimistic and say that nothing will come of it. I prefer realism: no one should pretend that reaching a deal is easy. It has eluded negotiators for years. But as the King himself has said, it is better to talk than not to.

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Hamas and the Contagion of Democracy
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Dar Al-Hayat
by Elias Harfoush - (Opinion) January 23, 2012 - 1:00am

It would be easy to place Khaled Mashal’s desire to step down from the leadership of the Hamas movement within the framework of the contagion of democracy that is currently infecting the Arab World, and particularly Islamists movements in it, of which the Hamas movement is considered the most cherished child.

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