April 5th

German author Grass says Israel endangers world peace
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters
by Gareth Jones - April 4, 2012 - 12:00am

BERLIN (Reuters) -- Nobel Prize-winning German writer Guenter Grass has attacked Israel as a threat to world peace and said it must not be allowed to launch military strikes against Iran, in a poem that led one German newspaper to brand him "the eternal anti-Semite." Grass, 84, a seasoned campaigner for left-wing causes and a critic of Western military interventions such as Iraq, also condemned German arms sales to Israel in his poem "What must be said", published in the Sueddeutsche Zeitung daily on Wednesday.

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Woman jailed for Abbas insult 'in isolation'
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency
April 4, 2012 - 12:00am

RAMALLAH (Ma'an) -- The condition of a woman arrested over her critical writings about President Mahmoud Abbas is deteriorating in isolation, a member of the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate said Tuesday. Ismat Abdul Khaliq was seen by doctors late Tuesday before being returned to her cell, said Nihad Abu Ghosh, a member of the syndicate. He said the prosecution is refusing to let her see visitors.

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Presidency: Israeli settlement tender 'harms peace'
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency
April 5, 2012 - 12:00am

BETHLEHEM (Ma'an) -- The Palestinian presidency on Wednesday condemned Israel's issuing of tenders for hundreds of new settler homes near Bethlehem. Israel's Housing Ministry published tenders on Tuesday for 827 new houses in illegal settlement Har Homa, between East Jerusalem and Bethlehem, Israeli daily Haaretz reported.

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AP Interview: Jerusalem mayor sees vast potential in tourism
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press
April 5, 2012 - 12:00am

JERUSALEM — When Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat stares out at his city, the one-time venture capitalist sees fresh opportunity: He believes he can turn Jerusalem into one of the world’s leading tourist destinations, on par with New York, Paris and London. In a city known as much for its religious strife as its religious sites, this will be no simple task. But Barkat, sounding very much like the businessman he once was, says he has a product that’s easy to market. He confidently predicts he can nearly triple the number of visitors over the next decade.

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Israel Doesn’t Let Eviction Slow Push for Settlements
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times
by Isabel Kershner - April 4, 2012 - 12:00am

JERUSALEM — The Israeli police and border officers swiftly evicted a group of Jewish settlers from a contested house in the volatile West Bank city of Hebron on Wednesday on the orders of the minister of defense, officials said. At the same time, however, the Israeli government signaled strong support for more Jewish settlement in areas captured in the 1967 war.

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Rocket From Sinai Lands in Israel
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times
by Isabel Kershner - April 5, 2012 - 12:00am

JERUSALEM — At least one rocket fired from the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt struck the southern Israeli resort city of Eilat overnight, causing alarm but no injuries, police officials said on Thursday. Residents reported hearing several explosions shortly after midnight, and bomb-disposal experts located one rocket that fell in an open area close to buildings in a residential neighborhood.

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April 4th

Social Issues Drive Jews Back to Obama
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jewish Daily Forward
by Nathan Guttman - April 3, 2012 - 12:00am

Washington — With the battle over the Jewish vote in full swing, a new poll suggests that Democrats have little reason for concern: Jews are firmly in President Obama’s corner. And the reason, the poll suggests, has nothing to do with Obama’s views on Israel or Iran. It is all about the economy and social justice. The survey showed that 62% of Jewish voters plan to support Obama in the 2012 election, compared to 30% who say they will vote for one of the four Republican candidates.

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A Middle East Twofer
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times
by Thomas L. Friedman - (Opinion) April 4, 2012 - 12:00am

There is so much going on in the Middle East today, it’s impossible to capture it all with one opinion. So here are two for the price of one.

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NEWS: PM Netanyahu says he really does want a two-state solution because he does not want the emergence of a binational state. Israeli forces are reportedly evicting settlers from a house they seized in occupied Hebron. Hamas is conducting leadership elections. The International Criminal Court rejects a Palestinian request to investigate Israel's actions in Gaza. Two men are shot dead in Gaza. Palestinians say they will be delivering an important letter to Netanyahu next week, but Netanyahu is reportedly preparing one of his own. Human Rights Watch says the PA has arrested a fourth person for negative comments on Facebook, and rights groups say such actions are undermining free speech. Sec.Clinton says a unilateral Israeli strike on Iran is not in anyone's interest. Netanyahu is moving to recognize three more “unauthorized” settlements. A new deal provides more Israeli fuel to Gaza. Israeli and Palestinian negotiators are reportedly due to meet in Jordan today. Social issues and the economy ensure a resurgence of support for Pres. Obama among Jewish Americans. COMMENTARY: Tom Friedman says Palestinian nonviolent protests are a good idea but need to be accompanied with a reasonable peace proposal. John Bolton says Israel is not a threat to the US, but Iran is. Zvi Bar'el says Netanyahu is acting like an Iranian “supreme leader.” Ronen Shoval says any Israeli compromise on Jerusalem would mean the end of Zionism. Nathan Jeffay looks at efforts to make Israel's national anthem inclusive of its Arab citizens. Rami Khouri says the US approach to Iran and Israel is undermining its international credibility. Daniel Levy looks at pro-Palestinian and pro-Israel boycott efforts.

PM: Legalize Status of 3 Settlements
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews
by Attila Somfalvi - April 3, 2012 - 12:00am

Amid the uproar surrounding an evacuation order of Jewish settlers from the disputed Machpelah house in Hebron, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is working to prevent the razing of the Ulpana neighborhood in Beit El and legalize three other settlements, Ynet reported Wednesday.

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