February 22nd

Palestinian On Hunger Strike to Be Freed Without Court Ruling
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times
by Isabel Kershner - February 21, 2012 - 1:00am


JERUSALEM — A Palestinian who fasted for 66 days to protest his detention without charge ended his hunger strike on Tuesday after the Israeli authorities agreed to release him in mid-April, if no major new evidence is brought against him.


February 21st

NEWS: Some Hamas leaders are saying the group is committed to the agreement with Fatah, but that it needs to be revised. Israel reiterates that it won't negotiate with any government that involves Hamas. Israeli officials give their account of recent negotiations to Ha'aretz. An Israeli court moves forward to hearing on a hunger-striking Palestinian prisoner. The hunger strike calls attention to Israel's policy of “administrative detention” without charges. PM Netanyahu will meet Pres. Obama on March 5. Emergency fuel for Gaza arrives from Egypt through tunnels. High-tech companies spring up across the occupied Palestinian territories. Israeli police arrest right-wing Jewish activists suspected of planning provocations at Jerusalem holy sites, and others are suspected in another vandalism attack against the Jerusalem church. Billionaire Sheldon Adelson is reportedly planning to give another $10 million to groups supporting Newt Gingrich. COMMENTARY: Sefi Rachlevsky says Netanyahu should be careful not to unravel Israel's relationship with the United States. Akiva Eldar says Israel is willing to demolish occupied Palestinian villages but not “unauthorized” settlement outposts. Chaim Levinson says Israeli negligence led to the avoidable death of a Palestinian car thief. Gershon Baskin says there are no better leaders than Netanyahu and Pres. Abbas to make real peace. Roy Greenslade says Palestinian journalists are under pressure from all sides. Asharq Al-Awsat interviews senior Hamas figure Khalil al-Hayya. Yossi Alpher says that, if reelected, Obama is going to have to seriously reconsider his approach to Middle East peace. Ghassan Khatib says Palestinians may need to explore other strategies, including more UN initiatives. Chuck Freilich says because there are no real alternatives to a two-state solution, its potential realization must be preserved even with diplomacy deadlocked. Issa Samandar says Palestinian frustrations have laid the groundwork for another uprising.

Between two hells
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Bitterlemons
by Issa Samander - (Opinion) February 20, 2012 - 1:00am


One can't help but be astonished by the behavior of the United States and European governments over the vast changes occurring in Arab countries, especially their reactions towards the killing spree in Syria. They have been swift--their politicians rarely vague--in their condemnations of the Syrian regime and calls for actions by the international community.


Beating a dead horse
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Bitterlemons
by Chuck Freilich - (Opinion) February 20, 2012 - 1:00am


How long can you beat a dead horse? The peace process died some years ago and the only humane thing to do may be to allow it to rest in peace. Indeed, it is questionable whether this is an opportune time to consider revival, when the future of peace with Egypt and Jordan hangs in doubt, Palestinian elections portend a possible Hamas takeover in the West Bank, and Hamas' radical mini-state in Gaza is the embodiment of every Israeli nightmare.


Rapidly dwindling avenues to peace
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Bitterlemons
by Ghassan Khatib - (Opinion) February 20, 2012 - 1:00am


The regional and international environments appear increasingly less conducive to a peaceful solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, especially in the short term. The United States is preparing for coming presidential and congressional elections, and the Arab world is increasingly involved in internal revolutions that are naturally emphasizing local agendas. These factors are limiting available options and eliminating opportunities to make progress in ending our conflict peacefully.


Obama's options are important, too
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Bitterlemons
by Yossi Alpher - (Opinion) February 20, 2012 - 1:00am


For Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, as for Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, the primary objective of 2012 with regard to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is to get through the year without a peace process failure, without major violence, and perhaps with some marginal achievement in the context of regional developments like the "Arab spring" that position each of them better for 2013. A genuine peace process is most definitely not anybody's realistic objective. It is in this context that we can address President Barack Obama's objectives as well.


We are committed to reconciliation agreement - Hamas official
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Asharq Alawsat
by Ali El-saleh - (Interview) February 17, 2012 - 1:00am


London, Asharq Al-Awsat –Senior Hamas figure Khalil al-Hayya informed Asharq Al-Awsat that the Hamas movement is committed to the Doha Declaration, although he acknowledged that there are some “legal” issues that must be dealt with before this can be implemented. Al-Hayya, who is a member of the Hamas Political Bureau for the Gaza Strip spoke to Asharq Al-Awsat about the Doha Declaration in the wake of inflammatory comments issued by another senior Hamas figure, Mahmoud al-Zahar.


Palestinian journalists under pressure
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Guardian
by Roy Greenslade - (Blog) February 21, 2012 - 1:00am


The International Press Institute (IPI) has registered its concern over the treatment of Palestinian journalists by both Israeli forces and Palestinian security services. The press freedom watchdog says that since the beginning of 2012, at least five journalists working in the Palestinian territories have been subjected to arbitrary arrest. Two more have had their detention periods extended. Three of those who were arrested recently were allegedly interrogated for several hours about their writing before being released. The other two remain in custody.


Q&A affecting the future of the Middle East
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post
by Gershon Baskin - (Opinion) February 20, 2012 - 1:00am


Over the past two weeks I have been on a speaking tour in the United States (one more week to go). I am appearing on college campuses, some, such as Johns Hopkins, American University and George Washington in the main cities of the country.


How Israeli negligence led to the death of a Palestinian car thief
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Chaim Levinson - (Analysis) February 20, 2012 - 1:00am


The figure at the side of the road was completely still. A pedestrian who saw him in the early morning light came close, and found the body of a young man. He was barefoot and clad in a thin hospital gown from the Sheba Medical Center at Tel Hashomer.



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