January 18th

Israel Plays a Role ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Bitterlemons by Ghassan Khatib - (Analysis) January 16, 2012 - 1:00am There has always been a very strong correlation between internal Palestinian issues and Palestinian-Israeli relations. This is true because Israel is a key player in all aspects of Palestinian life. Israel's troops are on the ground in the West Bank, and occupy the Gaza Strip by air and sea. But Israel's occupation was never an issue of military or security control alone; it has interfered with Palestinian economic and political development for the four decades of its existence. » Read more

Yalla Peace: Falafel, fences and Syria ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Ray Hanania - (Opinion) January 17, 2012 - 1:00am A day never passes without an Arab complaining about Israel. Of course, a day never passes without an Israeli complaining about the Arabs, either. The complaints vary widely, covering everything from food to violence. A common complaint is that Israel “stole” the falafel. Well, Israel has stolen Palestinian land, but can you really steal a food? I recently read an Israeli official’s counter to this claim: has Israel also “stolen” Italian food? To be fair, Israelis don’t go around bragging about their “Israeli spaghetti” the way they promote “Israeli falafel.” » Read more

Is Hamas Mellowing? ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Carnegie Endowment for International Peace by Nathan J. Brown - (Analysis) January 17, 2012 - 1:00am Over the past few weeks, as Palestinian reconciliation efforts have inched forward, some of Hamas’s leaders have provoked interest by apparently staking out new positions. They have not only agreed to enter the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), thus participating in a body that signed the Oslo Accords with Israel, a pact the group has long opposed, but also committed themselves to “popular resistance,” an alternative to the armed activity through which the group gained international notoriety. » Read more

The VIPs' hush money ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Amira Hass - (Opinion) January 18, 2012 - 1:00am Two people signed the entry permit into Israel that Mahmoud Abbas received from Israel's Civil Administration on January 1 (and which will be in force until March 1 ): 1st Lt. Noy Mitzrafi, commander of the permits office, and Lt. Col. Wissam Hamed, a department head in the Israel Defense Forces' operations directorate. It is this limited permit that Abbas, the Palestinian Authority president and PLO chairman, complained of receiving instead of his normal VIP permit during a closed meeting of his Fatah faction. » Read more

The Israel Lobby Finds a New Face: Black College Students ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Color Lines by Seth Freed Wessler - January 18, 2012 - 1:00am When Vincent Evans arrived as a bright-eyed first-year at Florida A&M, the country’s largest historically black university, he knew he wanted to get involved in politics. So when an older student leader approached him one afternoon after a student government meeting to ask if he wanted an all expenses paid trip to D.C., Evans jumped at the opportunity. » Read more

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.