Israel's right-wing wants to maintain the occupation status-quo ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by David Landau - (Opinion) May 17, 2012 - 12:00am A civilized, serious debate about Israel held on New York's Upper West Side this week understandably aroused correspondent Chemi Shalev's wistful jealousy. » Read more

Michael Sfard, the Israeli lawyer battling illegal settlements ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Christian Science Monitor by Ben Lynfield - (Interview) May 18, 2012 - 12:00am Young lawyer Michael Sfard has achieved something that the White House and left-leaning Israeli political leaders could not. His legal work on behalf of Palestinian clients is compelling Israel in at least two instances to roll back back Jewish settlements. » Read more

After Palestinian Prison Deal, A Push For Nonviolence ATFP World Press Roundup Article from National Public Radio (NPR) by Lourdes Garcia-Navarro - May 18, 2012 - 12:00am This week, Palestinian prisoners ended a mass hunger strike aimed at improving their conditions in Israeli prisons after reaching a deal with Israeli authorities. The success of the collective action in wresting concessions from Israel has some Palestinians calling for a greater emphasis on nonviolence in their opposition to Israeli policies. » Read more

Israeli Hospital Bans Speaking of Arabic ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz May 17, 2012 - 12:00am Arab teachers and students working in Kfar Sava’s Meir Medical Center have been forbidden to speak to each other in Arabic, which is an official language in Israel. Haaretz learned that three Arab families whose children were hospitalized in the center filed a complaint with the hospital management. » Read more

Israeli-Jordanian Industrial Park To Be Built Spanning Border ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'ariv by Michal Toussia-Cohen - May 18, 2012 - 12:00am The Ministry of Regional Cooperation is set to submit for government approval a plan for the first joint Israel-Jordan industrial park to be built near Kibbutz Tirat Zvi in northern Israel and the Sheikh Hussein border crossing. The park is expected to be completed in 2015 with the help of an almost $50 million investment. » Read more

Israel wants Olympic silence for Munich ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Independent by Donald MacIntyre - May 18, 2012 - 12:00am Israel urged the international community yesterday to overturn the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) “unacceptable” rejection of its request for a minute’s silence during London 2012 in memory of the 11 athletes murdered at the 1972 Munich games. » Read more

N. Cyprus warns Israel against airspace violations ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post May 18, 2012 - 12:00am Northern Cyprus on Thursday warned Israel against violating its airspace, Anatolia news agency reported, just one day after Israel was accused of violating northern Cypriot airspace. According to the report, Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu phoned Israel's ambassador to Cyprus over this issue, warning him against repeated offenses. » Read more

Israeli NGO: Police beat handcuffed detainees in Palestinian solidarity protest ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Akiva Eldar - May 18, 2012 - 12:00am The Justice Ministry has received complaints of severe police violence against demonstrators, including the use of Taser electroshock weapons, beating and kicking bound detainees, racist verbal abuse and sexual harassment of female detainees. The complaints were filed to the ministry's department for investigation of police officers by the Adalah advocacy group two weeks ago, after a demonstration in support of hunger-striking Palestinian prisoners outside the prison clinic in Ramle. » Read more

Palestinians see settlements thwarting state ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters by Samia Nakhoul - May 18, 2012 - 12:00am JERUSALEM, May 18 (Reuters) - Surrounded by aides, including one whose only task seems to be light his cigarettes, Mahmoud Abbas sits in a vast presidential office and speaks of his ambition to create a Palestinian state. But outside his sprawling compound on the hills of the West Bank town of Ramallah reality on the ground is different - his dream is being built over by ever-expanding Jewish settlements. » Read more

Abu Marzouq: Hamas and Fatah to meet in Cairo ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency May 18, 2012 - 12:00am BETHLEHEM (Ma'an) -- The leaderships of Hamas and Fatah will meet in Cairo next week to revive their stalled reconciliation agreement, the deputy head of Hamas' politburo said Friday. Moussa Abu Marzouq told the London-based newspaper Al-Hayat that the meeting would focus on the long-awaited unity government which the parties had pledged to form to prepare for elections. » Read more