NEWS: Israel frees and deports to Gaza a hunger-striking Palestinian prisoner. Land Day protests lead to clashes with Israeli forces, and the death of at least one Palestinian protester. Deputy FM Ayalon says Palestinian protests are “political terrorism,” and an extension of the PLO's “diplomatic terrorism.” Palestinian authorities reportedly detain a woman for criticizing Pres. Abbas on Facebook. A Palestinian man dies from wounds sustained during an Israeli raid on his village last week. PA officials deny that the recent detention of 3 journalists had political or security motivations. Arab states pledge to fund the PA if Israel withholds Palestinian tax revenues. Occupation authorities give Hebron settlers 24 hours to vacate a Palestinian house they seized. Israel arrests 13 Palestinians accused of planning attacks against Israelis. PM Fayyad meets with Quartet representative Blair. Palestinian Christians have difficulty accessing Jerusalem on holy days. COMMENTARY: ATFP Pres. Ziad Asali says the West must support universal values in Palestine and the rest of the Middle East. Dennis Ross and David Makovsky say the US and Israel can find a common policy on Iran. Ha'aretz says Israel must cleanse its soccer scene of racism. Akiva Eldar says Jerusalem must be the capital of both Israel and Palestine. Jay Michaelson says J Street and other liberals need to reach out to working-class Israelis. The Forward says neither AIPAC nor J Street speak for Israel. Abdullah Iskandar says Hamas has only one real policy: keeping power in Gaza. Barbara Slavin interviews Peter Beinart. Lara Friedman says Israel may be thriving, but it's status as a “Jewish and democratic” state is in grave peril. Amira Hass says it's outrageous that a Palestinian journalist would be jailed for writing about alleged corruption in the PLO mission in Paris. Nagham Issa looks at how the Syrian uprising is changing attitudes in Palestinian refugee camps. Peter Beinart says even if he wins a second term, Pres. Obama won't pressure Israel.

Obama Won’t Pressure Israel If He Wins Second Term
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Daily Beast
by Peter Beinart - (Opinion) April 2, 2012 - 12:00am

In the wake of President Obama’s “hot mike” admission to Russian President Dmitry Medvedev that “after my election, I have more flexibility” to make concessions on missile defense, conservatives are insisting that once sworn in for a second term, Obama will unveil the Michael Moore–esque foreign policy he’s been concealing these last three years. Especially on Israel.

»

A revolution is taking place in Syria's Palestinian camps
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from politics.co.uk
by Nagham Issa - (Opinion) April 2, 2012 - 12:00am

There are no estimates as to how many Palestinians have been killed since the unrest in Syria began, but the growing call for the fall of the Syrian regime has not passed Syria's estimated 500,000 Palestinian community by. Increased tensions with the Syrian authorities could yet mark a change in direction for the revolution, particularly in the capital, home to Syria's largest Palestinian camp, Mukhyam Yarmouk.

»

What happens when a Palestinian journalist dares criticize the Palestinian Authority?
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Amira Hass - (Opinion) April 2, 2012 - 12:00am

Journalists who stood outside the court building exchanged jokes about the "six million dollars." No problem, we'll obtain them, someone said. That's small change, another said. But these light remarks did not hide concerns about their colleague, Yusuf Al-Shayeb, who was at the time on his way to the Magistrate's Court in Ramallah, to have his remand extended.

»

Peter Beinart Targets 'The Crisis of Zionism'
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Al-Monitor
by Barbara Slavin - (Interview) April 1, 2012 - 12:00am

In a provocative new book published this week, “The Crisis of Zionism,” Peter Beinart bemoans the trajectory of the State of Israel and of American Jews. His suggestions for saving both include a boycott of products from Jewish settlements in the West Bank, a plan that has aroused a torrent of criticism.

»

Land Day and Gaza’s Hamas
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Dar Al-Hayat
by Abdullah Iskandar - (Opinion) April 1, 2012 - 12:00am

Two days ago, Palestinians commemorated Land Day, when on March 30, 1967, Israeli forces stormed the towns of Galilee and confronted with gunfire their Arab inhabitants who were protesting the Judaization of their region. This day has represented for the Palestinians a declaration of their attachment to their identity, their freedom and their land, not just their rejection of the occupation and its practices.

»

Who Speaks for Israel?
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jewish Daily Forward
(Editorial) March 30, 2012 - 12:00am

The back-to-back national policy conferences of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee and J Street — the Jewish version of March Madness for Israel advocates — have now concluded. The subtext of these gatherings is a desire to represent American Jewish opinion in the halls of Congress, the inner sanctum of the White House and the broader public square. Are you pro-Israel à la AIPAC? Or in the J Street mold?

»

J Street's Blind Spot Is Class
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jewish Daily Forward
by Jay Michaelson - (Opinion) April 2, 2012 - 12:00am

I’m not one for political conventions. Good policy is subtle, but effective politics is broad — and I, for one, prefer the former. When friends of mine returned from the AIPAC conference in early March, inspired by (in the words of one of them) “thousands of Jews all united by a love of Israel,” I felt nauseated. I don’t want to be in a crowd of thousands of people united by anything.

»

Freedom for Jerusalem, the capital of Israel and Palestine
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Akiva Eldar - (Opinion) April 2, 2012 - 12:00am

On the first night of Passover, the festival of freedom, the song "We were slaves but now we are free" will waft from homes throughout the country as Jews sit down to celebrate the seder. But every year, these words lose some of their luster. Every year, more Israelis go from being free men to slaves.

»

It's time to intervene against racism in Israeli soccer
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
(Editorial) April 2, 2012 - 12:00am

In March alone, there were four recorded violent incidents linked to Israeli soccer.

»


American Task Force on Palestine - 1634 Eye St. NW, Suite 725, Washington DC 20006 - Telephone: 202-262-0017