February 14th

Israel confirms existence of Prisoner X: 'A man was jailed under false identity' ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz February 13, 2013 - 1:00am Israel has officially recognized on Wednesday the existence of "Prisoner X", saying that an Israeli man, who also had foreign citizenship, was jailed under a false identity and eventually committed suicide. The information was released after a gag order on the case was partially lifted. According to the gag order, Israeli authorities are investigating the possibility of negligence surrounding the death of the prisoner, who was found dead in his cell two years ago. » Read more

ATFP Welcomes Reports Congress on Track to Release All US Aid to the PA Press Release - Contact Information: Hussein Ibish - February 14, 2013 - 1:00am   The American Task Force on Palestine today warmly welcomed reports that following a year of holds and delays, Congress appears to be preparing to release all outstanding US aid, totaling more than $500 million, to the Palestinian Authority. This aid is essential for the PA budget, to meet the payroll for public employees, fund crucial institution-building programs and finance the PA security services. ATFP thanks the Obama administration and leaders in Congress for taking the initiative to release this vital assistance to the Palestinian people.   Read more

Begin from the end ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Shimon Shiffer - (Opinion) February 13, 2013 - 1:00am   » Read more

Israel struggles to keep cloak of secrecy over spy story ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters by Jeffrey Heller - February 13, 2013 - 1:00am The mysterious death of an Australian prisoner in Israel has put the spotlight on a military-run censorship system that is finding it harder to black out secret information often only a mouse click away on the Internet. The case involves a man reported by Australia's ABC channel on Tuesday to have been a member of Israel's Mossad spy agency. According to the report, he committed suicide in prison in 2010 in an isolated top-security wing originally built for the assassin of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin. » Read more

Status quo of Israel’s West Bank occupation is catastrophic illusion ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Carlo Strenger - (Opinion) February 13, 2013 - 1:00am Obviously Israel’s political attention is focused on the ongoing negotiations for the next coalition. This may be the reason why one of the most important opinion pieces that have been published here in the last years went all but unnoticed, Ruth Gavison’s ‘By Ignoring International Law Israel only Hurts itself’.  » Read more

Israeli soldiers wound man near Syrian Golan fence ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters by Dominic Evans, Dan Williams - February 13, 2013 - 1:00am Israeli soldiers shot across the ceasefire line with Syria on the occupied Golan Heights on Wednesday, wounding a man who approached the boundary fence despite their orders to turn away, military sources said. The Golan, which Israel seized from Syria in a 1967 war and later annexed, has been largely untouched by the 24-month-old revolt rocking Damascus. But Israel has been on guard for violent spillovers or refugee influxes on the strategic plateau. » Read more

Better Late than Never? ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Weekly Standard by Elliott Abrams - February 18, 2013 - 1:00am   » Read more

Vandals desecrate Muslim cemetery in Jerusalem ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press February 14, 2013 - 1:00am Israeli police say vandals have sprayed a dozen Muslim graves in a Jerusalem cemetery with graffiti in a politically motivated act. Spokesman Micky Rosenfeld says the phrase "price tag" was sprayed in Hebrew over the graves early on Thursday. The term is used by a tiny fringe of extremists to protest Israeli policy they view as favoring Palestinians. Israeli military bases, churches and mosques have also been targeted. Rosenfeld says police are investigating. » Read more

Rights group: Israel violated laws of war in Gaza ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press by Diaa Hadid - February 13, 2013 - 1:00am A U.S.-based rights group said Israel violated laws of war in a series of airstrikes it conducted during an eight-day military operation last November against Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip. Human Rights Watch said it counted 14 airstrikes in which there didn't appear to be a valid military target, and four others targeting militants, but which used disproportionate force. » Read more

Rising From Ruins ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times by Raja Shehadeh - (Opinion) February 13, 2013 - 1:00am   » Read more