September 7th

Palestinian taxi drivers snarl West Bank traffic to protest rising gas prices
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Associated Press
September 6, 2012 - 12:00am


Dozens of taxi drivers have snarled traffic in several West Bank cities to protest rising fuel prices and the government's refusal to allow them to raise fares. The protests early Thursday caused traffic jams stretching to up to four kilometers in Ramallah, Nablus, Hebron and Bethlehem. Small demonstrations have been staged across the West Bank in recent days to protest the rising cost of living. Teachers and Ramallah shop owners joined Thursday's strikes.


Protests shake West Bank as Palestinians hit by rising prices
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The National
by Hugh Naylor - September 7, 2012 - 12:00am


In a backlash against lighter wallets and rising prices in the West Bank, Palestinians burnt effigies of their prime minister and striking taxi drivers blocked traffic. As the unrest shook the West Bank, President Mahmoud Abbas promised to revive the Palestinian bid for recognition at the United Nations. For Palestinians who are struggling to survive, the increasingly dire economic situation and the Palestinian Authority's (PA) financial crisis is a more pressing concern than Mr Abbas's move.


Eyesight for Israel’s blind
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jordan Times
by Dominique Moisi - (Opinion) September 6, 2012 - 12:00am


To find a glimmer of hope on the Israel-Palestine question has become difficult, if not impossible. Most Israelis now believe that a peaceful solution will not come in their generation. As for the Palestinians, the political stalemate, and ongoing Israeli occupation, has led to radicalisation: if they cannot have “something”, they want it all.


Will there be a Palestinian spring?
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jordan Times
by Ahmad Majdoubeh - (Opinion) September 6, 2012 - 12:00am


he possibility of a Palestinian spring may seem far-fetched at a first glance, yet upon careful consideration, it may be their only course out of the current paralysis.


September 6th

NEWS: Six Palestinian militants are killed by Israeli airstrikes in Gaza. The UN says Palestinians are slipping deeper into poverty. The PA financial crisis continues to deepen. Palestinian sources tell Xinhua some factions in the West Bank, without naming them, are inciting people to protest against PM Fayyad. President Abbas says the “Palestinian spring” has begun. Hamas is trying to regain its popularity in Gaza. The PA says it has arrested suspects in the assassination of a senior security official in Jenin. Hamas is training its diplomats in preparation to challenge the PLO internationally. Israel agrees to pay damages to the family of a Palestinian detainee left to die on a highway. Three French magistrates investigating his death are planning to exhume the body of the late Pres. Arafat. Following a controversy, the Democratic Party platform restores language saying Jerusalem is Israel's capital. A new study suggests gaps may be growing between Palestinian citizens of Israel and those living under occupation. COMMENTARY: Rami Livni says Israel must end the occupation, not for the Palestinians but for itself. Anshel Pfeffer says there are further signs that Israel will not be attacking Iran any time in the foreseeable future. Yariv Oppenheimer says everything Israel has constructed in the occupation is reversible. The Jerusalem Post says Israel must be tough with the Palestinians regarding electricity payments. Douglas Bloomfield says a lot of Israeli rhetoric about attacking Iran may be designed to make the reelection of Pres. Obama more difficult. Asharq Al-Awsat interviews Ghazi Hamad, "Deputy Foreign Minister" for Hamas, about the organization's diplomatic initiative. Crispian Balmer says that Israel is backing down from threats against Iran after being rebuked by the United States. Alon Pinkas says in spite of PM Netanyahu's mistakes, there is no “crisis” with the United States. Laura Rosen outlines the process whereby the DNC platform reintroduced Jerusalem into its text. Daniel Seidemann and Josh Rogin separately also examine the controversy. Aaron David Miller says the controversy is silly and irrelevant.

News Analysis: Tensions simmering in West Bank over high living cost
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua
by Yang Lina - September 6, 2012 - 12:00am


RAMALLAH, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- Protests against the high cost of living increasingly erupted all over the West Bank over the past few days, during which some demonstrators burned Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad's posters while others attempted to set themselves ablaze.


Study: Gap grows between Israeli Arabs, Palestinians
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post
by Ilene Prusher - September 5, 2012 - 12:00am


Palestinians in the West Bank and Israeli Arabs show increasing signs of wanting to keep their distance from each other, and maintain different narratives about the history of the conflict, according to a new study conducted by Ben-Gurion University of the Negev researchers. Among some of the findings that researchers found most remarkable, 60 percent of Israeli Arabs surveyed said they would not want their daughter to marry someone from the West Bank, while 41% of West Bankers had the same attitude to their daughter marrying an Arab with Israeli citizenship.


Amid some boos, Democrats return Jerusalem-as-capital language to party platform
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA)
by Ron Kampeas - September 5, 2012 - 12:00am


CHARLOTTE, N.C. (JTA) -- At President Obama's behest, and to boos from some delegates, Democrats on Wednesday night inserted a few lines into their party platform affirming Jerusalem as Israel's capital. Two of the lines had appeared in the 2008 party platform but had been dropped for some reason when this year’s platform was released Monday night; no one could quite explain the omission.


French to exhume Arafat's remains
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Independent
by Matthew Kalman - September 6, 2012 - 12:00am


Three French investigating magistrates will travel to Ramallah in the West Bank to exhume the remains of the late Palestinian President Yasser Arafat so they can take tissue samples to determine what killed him.


State settles with family of Palestinian left to die by Israel Police, will pay damages
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Chaim Levinson - September 6, 2012 - 12:00am


The State of Israel will compensate the family of a Palestinian who was left to die by Israeli police officers four years ago, in a compromise agreement obtained by Haaretz on Thursday.



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