Court delays hearing on Abbas' PM role ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency March 6, 2012 - 1:00am RAMALLAH (Ma'an) -- A constitutional court in Ramallah on Tuesday postponed a hearing on the legality of President Mahmoud Abbas' appointment as prime minister of a unity government to March 20. Abbas and Hamas chief Khalid Mashaal agreed that the president will lead a unity government in Doha in February. PLO central council member Abdul-Jawwad Salih submitted a legal challenge to the appointment on the grounds that it is unconstitutional. » Read more

PA austerity measures 'will not solve budget crisis' ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency March 6, 2012 - 1:00am BETHLEHEM (Ma'an) -- PA Prime Minister Salam Fayyad's recently introduced austerity measures will not make a serious impact on the public budget deficit, a finance ministry official warned Monday. Last week, the Ramallah-based cabinet agreed a series of cost-cutting measures on government expenses, including limiting travel to economy class and freezing purchase or rent of buildings for government purposes. » Read more

The Palestinian challenge ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Gershon Baskin - (Opinion) March 5, 2012 - 1:00am Something must be done, and quickly, to save the two-state solution. We are nearing the end of the road and soon there will be no one between the river and the sea who actually believes that it will be possible to partition the land into two states. » Read more

Official: Palestinian issue ignored in US ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press March 6, 2012 - 1:00am RAMALLAH, West Bank — A Palestinian peace negotiator says the Palestinian-Israeli conflict is too big to ignore, even though it was sidelined in a meeting between Israel's prime minister and U.S. President Barack Obama. Saeb Erekat told reporters Tuesday that in the Middle East, "No issue is above the Palestinian issue." He spoke after Israeli and American leaders met to discuss Iran's nuclear program. » Read more

Palestinians taken aback by Obama embrace of Israel, but expect little in US election year ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press March 5, 2012 - 1:00am RAMALLAH, West Bank — Palestinians say they are disappointed in President Barack Obama but not surprised by his especially warm embrace of Israel in an election year. Still, his weekend speech to the powerful pro-Israel lobby AIPAC was perceived in the West Bank as unprecedented in its show of support for Israel. It raised eyebrows even among hardened skeptics who have lost faith in Washington’s ability to serve as an honest Mideast broker. » Read more

The next intifada ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Asharq Alawsat by Emad El Din Adeeb - (Opinion) March 5, 2012 - 1:00am There is new Israeli intelligence information about an imminent Palestinian intifada, ranging from Gaza to Ramallah. This information was leaked from the Israeli Military Intelligence Directorate, but no one can be sure whether the objective of such an information leakage is to prevent a genuine intifada that is being secretly prepared underground, or whether it is merely a media cloud intended to cover up another crime committed by the occupying Israeli army. This issue cannot be analyzed without taking four other fundamental factors into consideration, which are as follows: » Read more

Israeli state officials disappointed with Obama meeting ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Attila Somfalvi - March 6, 2012 - 1:00am Israeli state officials were disappointed Tuesday with the results of the Netanyahu-Obama meeting at the White House on Monday. "There were no surprises," a senior state official said. "It was clear from recent months that there are differences between ourselves and the Americans. We have different perspectives when it comes to the question of time and red lines." It was claimed that the Americans view the Iranian issue in the context of the upcoming presidential elections. "It's a bad message for the issue and a good message for the Iranians," a state official said. » Read more

A third Palestinian intifada may be in the cards ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jordan Times by Linda Heard - (Opinion) March 6, 2012 - 1:00am Palestinian leaders are talking tough these days. And who can blame them! For decades they've been listening to empty Israeli promises and put their future in the hands of a succession of US presidents duplicitously claiming to be impartial peace brokers. » Read more

Destabilised, disintegrated Syria benefits Israel ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jordan Times by Musa Keilani - (Opinion) March 3, 2012 - 1:00am The Israelis are having an ongoing debate over the anti-regime uprising in Syria, with participants saying that the world is not doing anything about the carnage against the Syrian people by security forces loyal to the government. Many Israelis use the opportunity to thrash the Arabs, in the process, accusing them of doing nothing to help the Syrian people. » Read more

The Emergency Committee for Israel Cries Wolf ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New Yorker by Connie Bruck - (Opinion) March 5, 2012 - 1:00am In the last few days, just before the highly-charged meeting between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Barack Obama, and, also, the annual American Israel Public Affairs Committee meeting, where both Netanyahu and Obama were to address about fourteen thousand Israel supporters, the Emergency Committee for Israel moved into high gear. » Read more