Two years after her father wished him dead, Abbas hosts Ovadia Yosef’s daughter
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Times of Israel
by Philip Podolsky - August 30, 2012 - 12:00am


Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas received on Monday in Ramallah a group of Israeli rabbis including Adina Bar-Shalom, the eldest daughter of Shas spiritual leader Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, in a rare meeting at a time when negotiations between Israel and the PA are at a virtual standstill.


University of Cali rejects anti-Semitism resolution
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA)
August 30, 2012 - 12:00am


The California State Assembly approved a resolution calling on colleges and universities in the state to combat anti-Semitism on Wednesday, however the University of California says it will not support the resolution.


IDF razes Palestinian infrastructure in West Bank communities
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Amira Hass - August 30, 2012 - 12:00am


Israel yesterday destroyed five cisterns and several tents, sheepfolds and storage sites in four Palestinian communities in the West Bank. During the process, the contents of several feed sacks were spilled and damaged. Altogether, according to UN data, Israel razed some 400 Palestinian structures in the West Bank's Area C between the start of the year and mid-August, including 120 houses; more than 600 Palestinians were hurt by these demolitions. Area C is the part of the West Bank that the Oslo Accords assigned to full Israeli control.


Hamas office in Damascus 'still open'
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency
August 30, 2012 - 12:00am


GAZA CITY (Ma'an) -- Hamas' politburo in Damascus is still open and has not moved to Cairo, the party's representative in Yemen said Wednesday. "The movement's office in Syria did not move to Cairo, it was not closed and Hamas leaders are still in it but because of the current circumstances in Syria, we left and we’ll be back when the situation becomes stable," Abdul Muti Zaqqut told Ma'an.


Paralympic Games: For Gaza's athletes, just getting to the practice track is a challenge
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Christian Science Monitor
by Ruqaya Izzidien - August 30, 2012 - 12:00am


While most Paralympics national teams are on a strict training schedule as the Olympics companion event approaches, focused entirely on improving their performance and winning a coveted gold medal, the Palestinian Gaza team is a bit different.


Abbas not to hold bilateral talks with Iran
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua
August 30, 2012 - 12:00am


RAMALLAH, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will not hold bilateral talks with Iran during his stay in Tehran, a Palestinian official said Thursday. Abbas arrived in Iran Wednesday for the Non-Aligned Movement ( NAM) summit, said Majdi al-Khalidi, his diplomatic adviser.


Israeli cop kills Palestinian over attempted carjack
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua
August 30, 2012 - 12:00am


JERUSALEM, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- An Israeli policeman shot dead a Palestinian on Thursday during an alleged carjack attempt in northern Tel Aviv. Police spokesman Mickey Rosenfeld confirmed the details of the event to Xinhua Thursday. "A police who passed by a crime scene saw two individuals trying to break into a vehicle," he said. "A chase followed, in which the suspect was shot and died. Israeli Internal Affairs has commenced an investigation".


Religious Israeli government party wary of war with Iran
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters
by Dan Williams - August 30, 2012 - 12:00am


JERUSALEM, Aug 30 (Reuters) - An ultra-Orthodox Jewish party in Israel's coalition government is wary of plans for possible military strikes on Iran, political sources said on Thursday. Reservations by Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, the top spiritual authority for the Shas party, could be an obstacle to any attempt by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to get security cabinet approval for hitting Iran's nuclear sites.


Israeli official: Government to round up Sudanese
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press
August 30, 2012 - 12:00am


JERUSALEM — A senior official says Israel will start rounding up thousands of unauthorized Sudanese migrants and put them in a detention center if they don't leave the country voluntarily. Interior Minister Eli Yishai says the detentions will begin in mid-October. Yishai told Army Radio on Thursday that once migrants can't work, "they will get sick of being here and will want to leave voluntarily."


French probe deepens confusion over Arafat death
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press
by Josef Federman - August 29, 2012 - 12:00am


JERUSALEM — A French murder probe into the death of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat prompted an Israeli denial of responsibility on Wednesday and renewed doubts that Palestinians would stick to a halfhearted pledge to exhume Arafat's body. Arafat's death eight years ago in a French hospital has remained a long-running mystery for many, driven by murky but persistent conspiracy theories that he had cancer, AIDS or was poisoned.



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