January 23rd

The writing has always been on the wall ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Bitterlemons by Sam Bahour - (Opinion) January 23, 2012 - 1:00am The human body is an amazing creation. It's not only the most complex system known to mankind, but it embodies within it signals that tell its owner that something has gone wrong. A similar signaling system exists in political bodies. Those tasked with reading the signals--be they individuals, physicians or politicians--can choose to consciously ignore the warning signs. » Read more

The two-state solution will not disappear ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Bitterlemons by Shlomo Avineri - (Opinion) January 23, 2012 - 1:00am As the English political theorist Lord Acton is frequently quoted as saying, "It is difficult to prophesy, especially about the future." Yet with meaningful Israeli-Palestinian negotiations currently stymied, it is legitimate to ask if the two-state solution may not become, at some point in the future, irrelevant. My answer, though, is that even as time passes without visible progress towards it, the two-state solution nevertheless may not disappear. It is the only game in town. » Read more

Nothing to stop it from disappearing ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Bitterlemons by Ghassan Khatib - (Opinion) January 23, 2012 - 1:00am With the passing of time, discussion over the permanence of the two-state solution is increasing among Palestinians and, to a lesser extent, Israelis and others involved. Although the official line of both the Israeli government and the Palestinian Authority is that the two-state solution is the path of peace, a lot of changes are introducing serious question marks about its prospects. » Read more

A comprehensive solution is not feasible ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Bitterlemons by Yossi Alpher - (Opinion) January 23, 2012 - 1:00am As an agreed outcome to the conflict, the two-state solution has not been a genuine option for very long. The Palestine Liberation Organization could conceivably be said to have accepted it back in the late 1980s, but only about a decade has passed since Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and President George W. Bush became the first Israeli and American leaders, respectively, to officially embrace it. Older solutions, such as one state and a variety of schemes involving Jordan, actually have much more "seniority". » Read more

The Masada complex ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Jamie Levin - (Opinion) January 22, 2012 - 1:00am In 1927, poet Yitzhak Lamdan wrote Masada, a poem glorifying the heroism and self-reliance of the early Zionist movement. The poem helped transform the remote hilltop fortress, largely forgotten since the writings of the Roman-Jewish historian Josephus, into an enduring symbol of the young State of Israel. Lamdan’s most famous line, “never again shall Masada fall,” became a rallying cry for a generation of Israeli soldiers who repeated these words in countless inauguration ceremonies. » Read more

Into an Unsettled New Year ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Inter Press Service (IPS) by Mya Guarnieri - (Opinion) January 22, 2012 - 1:00am HEBRON, Jan 22, 2012 (IPS) - An elderly Palestinian woman spent last week on hunger strike to protest violent attacks by Israeli settlers. Hana Abu Heikel went on the hunger strike on behalf of her family after settlers burned the family car during the previous weekend. Since Israeli settlers moved into the houses surrounding the Abu Heikel family home in Hebron in 1984, the Abu Heikels have seen eight cars burned. Six vehicles were also smashed by settlers. » Read more

Why Israel needs blockbusters ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Arab News by Uri Avnery - (Opinion) January 23, 2012 - 1:00am Israel has no foreign policy, only a domestic policy,” Henry Kissinger once remarked. This has probably been more or less true of every country since the advent of democracy. Yet in Israel, this seems even truer. In order to understand our foreign policy, we have to look in the mirror. Who are we? What is our society like? In every immigrant country, from the United States to Australia, every new wave of immigrants is greeted by the scorn, contempt and even open hostility of those who came before them. » Read more

Why negotiations are encouraged ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jordan Times by Musa Keilani - (Opinion) January 22, 2012 - 1:00am His Majesty King Abdullah’s meeting at the White House with US President Barack Obama was one of the warmest summits between the two leaders and reaffirmed their close relationship. The focus of the meeting was largely the quest for Israeli-Palestinian peace, which has been revived with Jordan’s initiative that brought together negotiators from the two sides for three meetings in Amman. While there was no breakthrough following the meetings, the two sides now appear to better understand each other’s position. » Read more

Meshaal's move raises doubt on Palestinian unity ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The National (Editorial) January 23, 2012 - 1:00am Three months after securing a historic prisoner-exchange deal with Israel, Hamas's political leader Khaled Meshaal has said that he will not stand for re-election this summer. The decision comes at a critical time for Hamas as it re-evaluates its relations with sponsors Syria and Iran. And the single greatest issue is the reconciliation process with Fatah. » Read more

The French water report ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Susan Hattis Rolef - (Opinion) January 22, 2012 - 1:00am On December 13 the Foreign Affairs Committee of the French National Assembly published a monumental, 320-page report on the geopolitics of water, penned by Socialist Member of the National Assembly Jean Glavany. The report dealt with two current international water conflicts: a conflict between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan over the Aral Sea Basin in Central Asia, and the case of the Jordan River Basin, involving Israel, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and the West Bank. In the case of the Jordan River Basin, most of the emphasis is on Israeli-Palestinian relations. » Read more