July 24th

Dear MTA, A Little Consistency ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Daily Beast by Elisheva Goldberg, Hannah Gross - (Opinion) July 23, 2012 - 12:00am The latest player in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict may be sidestepping the law.  And it's not the ultra-Orthodox.  It's the MTA. » Read more

Palestinians, visa-free ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The National (Editorial) July 24, 2012 - 12:00am Early yesterday morning, seven Palestinians were allowed entry into Egypt through Cairo International Airport. Nothing too special, you might think. But these seven were allowed in without the usual security clearances and visas, making it the first time in years that Palestinians had been allowed visa-free entry into Egypt. » Read more

The Real Problems with Israel's Newest University ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Daily Beast by Ron Mandelbaum - (Opinion) July 20, 2012 - 12:00am A few days ago, Israel named Ariel’s University Center as its eighth official university. It should not have done so for several reasons. First, the decision was facilitated because it was based on a peculiar institutional setup existing as a result of its occupation of the West Bank. Second, the decision goes against a basic tenet of academia: judgment of an argument should be based on its merit alone. The erroneous decision is only compounded by the current state of Israeli higher education. » Read more

Wait until Ariel is part of Israel ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Tal Harris - (Opinion) July 23, 2012 - 12:00am Let it be that the settlement of Ariel becomes part of Israel’s sovereign lands. Let it be no longer considered illegal and subjected to international boycotts. Let it be that its 18,000 residents don’t have to move out in the future. Let it be that it prosper and even become a highly desired tourist attraction. The Ariel of today, however, cannot be any of these things. » Read more

South Sinai Gangs Smuggle Stolen Fuel Into Gaza, Israel ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Al-Masry Al-Youm by Ayman Abou Zeid - July 23, 2012 - 12:00am South Sinai residents have reported that organized gangs are smuggling state-subsidized fuel into the Gaza Strip and Israel through underground tunnels at the border. » Read more

The Palestinian problem is gone! ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Gershon Baskin - (Opinion) July 23, 2012 - 12:00am I am struggling to make sense of the policies being implemented by our prime minister. Binyamin Netanyahu is an intelligent man. In keeping his coalition together and staying in power longer than most past prime ministers, he has proven that he is also a masterful politician. However, I can’t accept that his political strategy is only a game of survival. I believe Netanyahu cares deeply about the country and its people; he adheres to a defined worldview and does not only make difficult decisions under pressure, as many claim. » Read more

FM: WMD transfer to Hezbollah is 'justification for war' ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Herb Keinon - July 24, 2012 - 12:00am The transfer of chemical weapons from Syria to Hezbollah is a clear casus belli, and Israel will act "decisively and without hesitation or restraint,"  Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman said Tuesday. Speaking at a press conference at the EU-Israel Association Council meeting in Brussels, Liberman said this would be "a completely different ballgame, and we hope for the understanding and cooperation of the international community." » Read more

Jerusalem municipality asks IDF to take responsibility for residents who live east of the separation fence ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Nir Hasson, Chaim Levinson - July 24, 2012 - 12:00am The Jerusalem municipality director-general has asked the IDF to take responsibility for handling civilian matters pertaining to Jerusalem residents east of the separation fence. The director-general, Yossi Heiman, made this request at a municipality meeting three weeks ago, saying the Israel Defense Forces' Civil Administration could increase its responsibilities. » Read more

Mideastern poker game ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Orly Azoulay - (Editorial) July 24, 2012 - 12:00am Barack Obama was a distinguished poker player: As a high school student in Hawaii, he would sit at street corners and defeat anyone who played against him. He did the same during his college days in California: He would walk around the dorms holding a whiskey bottle and a deck of cards, looking for players who would challenge him. » Read more

PA, Hamas govt to meet in Cairo over Gaza electricity troubles ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency July 23, 2012 - 12:00am A top Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine leader said Sunday that a technical committee composed of officials from both the West Bank and Gaza Strip will meet in Cairo to discuss alleviating a fuel crisis in Gaza. Talal Abu Tharifeh said the committee would discuss solutions with Egyptian authorities with the aim of increasing the electricity from an Egyptian line into the besieged territory. » Read more