September 6th

Hamas training diplomats, challenging PLO monopoly abroad ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters September 6, 2012 - 12:00am GAZA CITY (Reuters) -- Hamas has begun a training program for diplomats in the Gaza Strip where it rules, a senior official of the Islamist group said, raising the specter of divisions in the Palestinian national movement spreading to its representation abroad. » Read more

PA says suspects in custody after colonel shot dead in Jenin ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency September 6, 2012 - 12:00am BETHLEHEM (Ma'an) -- Palestinian security services have detained suspects believed to be behind Wednesday's deadly shooting of a top security commander in Jenin, a security spokesman says. "There are some suspects who were detained for investigation, and there are security organizations working with us in the investigation process," Adnan al-Dmeiri said Thursday. » Read more

Hamas: An Islamist party tries to regain its luster ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Christian Science Monitor by Christa Case Bryant - September 5, 2012 - 12:00am Hamas has refashioned its government in an apparent bid to adapt to the sweeping changes in the Arab world and bolster its support among Gazans who, six years after bringing Hamas to power, are largely disillusioned and desperate for better lives. Over the weekend, the Islamist rulers of Gaza replaced seven of their 14 government ministers, including those in charge of housing, justice, and finance, in what officials and analysts say was a move to put more popular, competent officials in power. » Read more

President says Palestinian Spring has begun ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency September 6, 2012 - 12:00am CAIRO (Ma'an) -- President Mahmoud Abbas said Wednesday that the "Palestinian Spring" had begun, as Palestinians took to the streets across the West Bank in protest over rising prices. "The Palestinian spring has begun, and we are in line with what the people say and what they want," Abbas said, addressing a meeting of Arab League foreign ministers in Cairo. The president said the protesters' demands to reduce costs of basic goods and for regular payment of salaries were "right and fair." » Read more

Jerusalem omission's silly significance ATFP World Press Roundup Article from CNN by Aaron David Miller - (Opinion) September 5, 2012 - 12:00am (CNN) -- The flip-flop over the non-mention, and now inclusion, in the Democratic platform of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel reflects just how silly and sensitive matters can become in an election year. » Read more

Democratic platform drafters defend Israel section ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Foreign Policy by Josh Rogin - (Blog) September 5, 2012 - 12:00am CHARLOTTE - Changes between the 2008 Democratic Party platform's language on Israel and the 2012 version were due to a deliberate effort to refocus the platform toward President Barack Obama's policies, two officials directly involved in its drafting process told The Cable. Leading pro-Israel groups such as AIPAC were heavily involved in the platform-drafting process, saw final language of the draft platform, and told platform drafters they were satisfied with it, both officials said. » Read more

Hurricane "Jerusalem" Hits the DNC ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Daily Beast by Daniel Seidemann - (Opinion) September 5, 2012 - 12:00am Jerusalem always comes up during U.S. political campaign season, and this year is no different. In July, GOP candidate Mitt Romney came to Jerusalem, where he skillfully bobbed and wove his way around the issue, expressing fidelity to Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, but stopping short of promising to move the U.S. embassy there the moment he becomes President. Now, apparently, it’s the Democrats' turn. » Read more

DNC adds Jerusalem to platform ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Al-Monitor by Laura Rozen - (Blog) September 5, 2012 - 12:00am Update: The Democratic National Committee on Wednesday added an amendment to its 2012 platform saying Jerusalem is and will remain the capital of Israel. The language, almost identical to that in the DNC 2008 platform, was added after its omission came under criticism from some Republican groups. “President Obama personally intervened to strengthen the language,” a Democratic aide involved in the process told Al-Monitor Wednesday. » Read more

US-Israeli Relations in Crisis? No! ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Al-Monitor by Alon Pinkas - (Opinion) September 5, 2012 - 12:00am First, there was "a crisis." Then, there was "the worst crisis in US-Israel relations ever." Now, a mere 36 hours later, the "crisis recedes." » Read more

Rebuked by US, Israel scrambles to climb down from war rhetoric ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters by Crispian Balmer - (Opinion) September 6, 2012 - 12:00am STUNNED by a rebuke from the United States’ top general, Israel is preparing a climb-down strategy in its war of words over Iran’s nuclear program, aware that its room for maneuver is shrinking rapidly. » Read more