Obama Forgets the Palestinians Again ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Asharq Alawsat (Opinion) February 19, 2013 - 1:00am In his latest State of the Union address, the US President did not utter the word Palestine or mention the Palestinian cause even once. Furthermore, Barack Obama, who has decided to visit Israel, the West Bank and Jordan next month, has no intention of visiting any major Arab capital or talking about an issue the Arabs have long considered their pivotal cause. » Read more

Palestinians in Prisons Refuse Meals in a Protest ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times by Isabel Kershner - February 19, 2013 - 1:00am Hundreds of Palestinian security prisoners in Israeli jails refused meals on Tuesday in solidarity with four hunger-striking detainees, and supporters held protests in the  » Read more

Center Field: Stop calling critics anti-Israel ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Gil Troy - (Opinion) February 20, 2013 - 1:00am As preparations for President Barack Obama’s first presidential visit to Israel proceed, we need some conceptual and linguistic groundwork, not just the usual itinerary generating, security planning and soporific statement-drafting. For too long, the debate about American-Israeli relations has been too polarizing. Let’s silence the sky-is-falling cries proclaiming crisis and predicting disaster. » Read more

Draconian arrests of Palestinians ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz (Editorial) February 20, 2013 - 1:00am Fourteen Palestinians freed in the Gilad Shalit deal were arrested by the IDF and Shin Bet security service. Amira Hass reported on Sunday in Haaretz that five of them might serve from 16 to 28 years in prison due to secret or negligible offenses they are accused of committing after their release. This revolving door system is not only inhuman in itself, it also undermines the agreements Israel signed and will make future deals much harder to achieve. » Read more

Israel's Tzipi Livni to head peace talks with Palestinians ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua February 20, 2013 - 1:00am   » Read more

Tunnel Vision ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times by Issandr El Amrani - (Opinion) February 20, 2013 - 1:00am The Egyptian military’s recent flooding of tunnels at the border between Egypt and Gaza is its most aggressive attempt yet to restrict smuggling since Israel imposed a blockade on the Palestinian territory in 2005. Sewage water is reportedly being used to weaken the tunnels’ structure, sometimes trapping smugglers inside. » Read more

Israeli leader brings dovish rival into coalition ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Associated Press by Josef Federman - February 19, 2013 - 1:00am   » Read more

Guilty until proven innocent ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Amira Hass - (Opinion) February 20, 2013 - 1:00am The High Court of Justice will debate today a petition dealing with Ayman Sharawna, one of the prisoners released in Shalit deal, who was also the first to be re-arrested in January 2012. In fact, the High Court is being requested today to act to neutralize yet another yet another act of sabotage and erosion of principles of fair process by military law. » Read more

Kerry 1st trip to Europe, Mideast; no Israel stop ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Associated Press by Bradley S. Klapper - February 19, 2013 - 1:00am   » Read more

The Case for Israeli Censorship ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Al-Monitor by Ben Caspit - (Opinion) February 19, 2013 - 1:00am The affair of “Prisoner X,” otherwise known as Israeli Mossad agent Ben Zygier, raises anew the issue of censorship, freedom of speech and media coverage in Israel. Well, I am not the bearer of glad tidings. » Read more