June 4th

Dolphin subs equipped with nuclear weapons ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Ronen Bergman - June 3, 2012 - 12:00am An in-depth report in German magazine Der Spiegel suggests that Israel's newly acquired Dolphin-class submarines will have extensive nuclear capabilities. According to a Sunday report in Yedioth Ahronoth, the German-made U-boats – six of which have been purchased by the Israel Navy – will be equipped with Popeye missiles, which can carry nuclear warheads. » Read more

The old man and the 'strip and swim' procedure in Gaza ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Amira Hass - June 4, 2012 - 12:00am "Take off your clothes," ordered the soldier over his megaphone. The old man and his son removed their clothing. "Get into the water," the soldier continued shouting into the megaphone. The son, 18, entered the water from the fishing skiff and swam over to the Israeli navy gunboat.

Arab states pledge $100 million per month to PA ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency June 3, 2012 - 12:00am Arab states on Saturday pledged to provide the Palestinian Authority with $100 million each month as a back-up if Israel withholds tax revenues, official PA media said. The decision was taken at the meeting of the Follow-up Committee for the Arab Peace Initiative in the Qatari capital on Saturday, PLO official Saeb Erekat told PA news agency Wafa. » Read more

Fayyad meets South Africa envoy, applauds settler goods labeling ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency June 3, 2012 - 12:00am PA Prime Minister Salam Fayyad on Sunday applauded South Africa's move to label settlement goods, in a meeting with the country's representative in Ramallah, official media said. Fayyad told the head of the South African representative office to the Palestinian Authority, N W Makalima, that he hoped other countries would follow South Africa's example, PA news agency Wafa reported. "We hope this step will become international consensus both at popular and official levels," he said. » Read more

Medics: Man injured in Gaza airstrike ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency June 4, 2012 - 12:00am Israeli forces launched renewed airstrikes on the Gaza Strip overnight Sunday, injuring one person, medics said. A dairy factory in a Gaza City neighborhood was hit in the third day of airstrikes on the coastal enclave. One man sustained moderate wounds, medics said. Another airstrike targeted an open area east of Gaza City, witnesses said. No injuries were reported. » Read more

Israel to jail illegal migrants for up to 3 years ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press by Allyn Fisher-Ilan - June 3, 2012 - 12:00am Israel may jail illegal immigrants for up to three years under a law put into effect on Sunday, an Interior Ministry official said, a measure aimed at stemming the flow of Africans entering Israel across the porous desert border with Egypt. "The law takes effect from today," said Interior Ministry spokeswoman Sabine Haddad. The controversial law was passed by parliament in January and denounced at the time by liberal politicians and human rights activists. » Read more

US: Israel "supportive" on future Iran sanctions ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press by Dan Williams - June 4, 2012 - 12:00am The United States is conferring with Israel about new sanctions planned against Iran should international negotiations this month fail to curb the Islamic Republic's nuclear programme, a U.S. official said on Monday. The comment offered a strong hint that Washington is continuing to apply the brakes on any plan by Israel to attack Iranian nuclear facilities preemptively. » Read more

Netanyahu: Israel must bolster West Bank settlements and follow law ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Barak Ravid - June 3, 2012 - 12:00am Israel must bolster settlement activity in the West Bank while maintaining the rule of law, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Likud ministers on Sunday, in wake of a newly surfaced plan to relocate structures in the illegal outpost of Ulpana Hill so as to avoid their demolition. On Saturday, sources close to Netanyau told Haaretz that the prime minister is examining a two-par solution to the issue of the Ulpana Hill outpost that will avoid the need for legislation on the matter. » Read more

Israeli PM to remove West Bank outpost ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press by Ian Deitch - June 2, 2012 - 12:00am An Israeli official says Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has decided to remove a West Bank outpost ahead of a court deadline, and is mulling whether to demolish the buildings or relocate them. The official said Saturday that Netanyahu said in a meeting that if Ulpana is destroyed its five apartment buildings will be built tenfold elsewhere. Otherwise, the buildings will be moved to the nearby settlement of Beit El. He spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the issue. » Read more

June 1st

Why Unilateralism Won't Work In Print by Hussein Ibish - The Daily Beast (Opinion) - May 31, 2012 - 12:00am Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak recently warned that if negotiations with the Palestinians do not yield results soon, Israel might consider "unilateral measures" in the occupied West Bank. He didn't specify what those might be, but several others have suggested that Israel create “temporary” or “provisional” unilaterally-imposed new borders in the territory. This idea is simple, superficially appealing and profoundly dangerous. » Read more