Fire burns Gaza family of six to death
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua
January 31, 2013 - 1:00am


A Palestinian family of six died Thursday when a fire broke out in their home in eastern Gaza City, a hospital official said. Hamas police announced an investigation into the incident, in which the father, mother and all their four children, aged between three to six, were burnt to death. Sources said the fire was likely to have been caused by a candle the family lit in their house after midnight. The Gaza Strip suffers from a shortage in electricity due to frequent disruption in fuel supplies to its only power plant.


Hamas plans more "enemy language" Hebrew in Gaza schools
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters
by Nidal al-Mughrabi - January 30, 2013 - 1:00am


Islamist Hamas authorities plan to expand Hebrew-language classes in the Gaza Strip's high schools to help Palestinians know their enemy in times of conflict with Israel. Far from a sign that peace will soon break out, Hamas's promotion of Hebrew learning in the Israeli-blockaded Mediterranean enclave aims to make linguistic skill a useful new front in the struggle against the Jewish state.


No Israeli strike on Lebanon soil - Lebanese security source
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters
by Oliver Holmes - January 30, 2013 - 1:00am


A Lebanese security source said on Wednesday that a reported attack by Israeli forces on a convoy near the Syrian-Lebanese border overnight had not occurred on Lebanese territory. A western diplomat and regional security sources said earlier that Israeli forces had hit a convoy in the border area, a few days after Israeli Vice Premier Silvan Shalom said that any sign that Syria's grip on its chemical weapons was slipping could trigger Israeli intervention. There were no details of precisely where the action had occurred.


Syria says Israel attacked military research centre
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters
by James Webb - January 30, 2013 - 1:00am


Israeli warplanes attacked a military research centre in Damascus province at dawn on Wednesday, Syria's military command said, denying reports that the planes had struck a convoy carrying weapons from Syria to Lebanon. Two people were killed and five wounded in the attack on the site in Jamraya, which it described as one of a number of "scientific research centres aimed at raising the level of resistance and self-defence". The building was destroyed, the military command said in a statement carried by state media.


2 Israeli parties endorse Netanyahu for new term
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Associated Press
by Aron Heller - January 31, 2013 - 1:00am


Israel's two largest political parties endorsed Benjamin Netanyahu for prime minister Wednesday, all but guaranteeing him a third term at the beginning of the post-election process of forming a new government.


Some Fear a Soccer Team’s Racist Fans Hold a Mirror Up to Israel
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times
by Jodi Rudoren - January 30, 2013 - 1:00am


The shouting match began long before kickoff, and many of the slogans had little to do with soccer. “The Temple Mount is in our hands,” chanted the notoriously aggressive fans of the home team, Beitar Jerusalem.


Hamas denies accepting two-state solution
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency
January 31, 2013 - 1:00am


Hamas on Wednesday said it does not accept the two-state solution, following reports the party had changed its position to accept the state of Israel. The Saudi newspaper Al-Sharq reported Wednesday that Hamas politburo chief Khalid Mashaal asked Jordan's King Abdullah to inform US President Barack Obama that Hamas accepted the two-state solution. Hamas said in a statement that the report was baseless and that Mashaal did not address the two-state solution in his meeting with the Jordanian king in Amman on Monday.


UN inquiry calls for sanctions against Israel over West Bank settlements
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters
by Barak Ravid - January 31, 2013 - 1:00am


A UN Human Rights Council fact-finding mission on Thursday released its harshest report over Israeli policy in the West Bank since 1967, urging governments and private corporations across the world to consider economic and political sanctions against Israel over its construction in the settlements. This is the first time such a call has been made from within the United Nations.


January 30th

NEWS: Israel has reportedly decided to make a single transfer of $100 million in Palestinian tax revenues to the PA. The PA complains the transfer is partial, and neither complete nor regular. Palestinians are facing a growing food crisis. Israel becomes the first country to boycott a review of its record by the UN Human Rights Council. The Lebanese military says Israeli warplanes have violated its airspace multiple times in the past day. The aircraft reportedly hit a target on the Lebanese-Syrian border. Palestinian factional fringe leader Said Musa Maragha dies at 86. Stanley Fischer says he is resigning as Governor of the Bank of Israel for "personal reasons." A Palestinian man is arrested for stabbing an Israeli youth in the occupied West Bank. Palestinians hope their narrative will spread with the Oscar nomination of the film "5 Broken Cameras." Palestinian police release suspects due to lack of evidence in arson attacks against alcohol-serving restaurants in the occupied West Bank. The PA says efforts by a university in Gaza to impose an "Islamic" dress code on female students are illegal. COMMENTARY: George Bisharat thinks the Palestinians should try to file charges against Israel at the ICC. Carlo Strenger says PM Netanyahu must watch the film "The Gatekeepers." Leon Hadar says a more forthcoming Israeli government would find a friend in the White House, especially if it included political newcomer Lapid. Former PM Olmert says, even though he's a long-standing supporter, he won't be attending Beitar games from now on because of the bigotry of its fans. The Jerusalem Post interviews new Palestinian MK Esawi Freige. Eddy Portnoy says Jewish activists should be careful about misapplying the term anti-Semitism. Peter Beinart looks at the debate about Israel in South Africa. Neri Zilber says many observers are underestimating Lapid. Jeffrey Goldberg says he has concluded Netanyahu won't make peace with the Palestinians. Matthew Norman says it's strange that many cannot differentiate between anti-Semitism and criticisms of Israeli policies and politicians. Shlomo Avineri says the new Israeli government should reengage with the peace process but with more modest aims than finding a two-state solution. Daniel Levy says Israel will only reengage with the peace process when the status quo becomes untenable, and this provides an opportunity for the second Obama administration.

Time for the U.S. to disturb Israel's comfort zone
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Daniel Levy - (Opinion) January 30, 2013 - 1:00am


One way of interpreting last week’s election is that Israel just put up a big “Do Not Disturb” sign: We are rejigging domestic burden sharing until further notice. That, though, is of little interest to the outside world as long as Israel remains in the business of illegal occupation and pursues regional ambitions that impact developments in Iran and also Syria, Egypt and beyond.



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