February 20th, 2013

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


 


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.


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


 


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.


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


 


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.


As long as Netanyahu is PM, Livni will have to deal with the Palestinians his way
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Yossi Verter - (Opinion) February 20, 2013 - 1:00am


Tzipi Livni is no less trustworthy or cynical than other politicians who broke their word, bent over backwards, put away away their slogans and election speeches and galloped into the arms of the one they had described as the mother of all sin.


Through the back door
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews
by Nahum Barnea - (Opinion) February 20, 2013 - 1:00am


Netanyahu is letting people board his bus first through the back door: Tzipi Livni is the first one to board. The second will be Shaul Mofaz. Then the front door will open and Shas and United Torah Judaism will be invited in. Netanyahu hopes that by then Labor will be convinced to board as well.


February 19th

NEWS: ATFP celebrates its 10th anniversary and announces its Seventh Annual Gala on October 23, 2013. (ATFP) Israel and the Palestinians are intensifying diplomatic activity with the United States in preparation for Pres. Obama's visit to the region. (Jerusalem Post) Israelis are being asked to choose their favorite logo for the Obama visit on PM Netanyahu's Facebook page. (AFP) Former FM Lieberman pleads not guilty in a fraud case. (New York Times) Israel treats five Syrians injured in the Civil War. (Reuters) Jordan denies it has been importing gas from Israel. (Xinhua) A Palestinian prisoner is continuing what is the purportedly longest-ever hunger strike by any detainee, as Israel reportedly detains his brother. (Xinhua/Ahram Online) A Gaza engineer reportedly held in isolation by Israel for over two years is reportedly losing his ability to speak. (Ma'an) The PLO criticizes an ill-fated visit to Bulgaria by a delegation from Hamas. (Xinhua) Hamas officials confirm they are in indirect negotiations with Israel. (Ma'an) Teachers become the latest group of Palestinian public employees to stage a strike. (Ma'an) Palestinian farmers are struggling in the occupied West Bank. (The National) Israeli officials say only "a handful" of prisoners are being held without public knowledge. (Ha'aretz) The surprise alliance between Yair Lapid and Naftali Bennett is greatly complicating efforts by Netanyahu to form a new coalition. (LA Times) Netanyahu hints he wants the broadest coalition to push forward on peace with the Palestinians. (Ha'aretz) Israelis are luring Christian tourists with "Holy Land hikes" on the "Jesus Trail." (CSM) The Gaza blockade is snuffing out the area's camel industry. (Al Monitor) Israel says it will return Palestinian farmland to its owners after trying to grant it to a Jewish kibbutz. (Ha'aretz) Hamas condemns Egypt's flooding of Gaza smuggling tunnels. (Al Arabiya/AFP) COMMENTARY: Hussein Ibish asks how long the charade of Palestinian national unity talks can continue. (The National) Thomas Donilon says Hezbollah revealed its true face in the bombing of an Israeli tour bus in Bulgaria. (New York Times) Aluf Benn says Netanyahu might be interested in recognizing a provisional Palestinian state along the lines of the status quo, but this won't be stable. (Ha'aretz) Al-Ahram interviews Egyptian writer Ali Salem. (Ha'aretz) Robert Fattal says Israeli policies are helping Palestinian secure a demographic majority in the areas under Israel's control. (YNet) Yitzhak Laor says the Israeli media is excited about the secret detention of the late Ben Zygier, but indifferent to analogous Palestinian secret detainees. (Ha'aretz) Abdul Rahman Al-Rashed says the Prisoner X scandal shows Israel is being ruled by those with out of date mentalities. (Asharq Al- Awsat) Ben Lynfield says Israel's Jewish and Arab citizens are deeply divided over MK Zoabi. (The Forward) Tariq Al Maeena says Washington should beware of undue pro-Israel influence. (Gulf News) Emily Hauser says Palestinian media appear woefully slow to understand what anti-Semitism is and how much damage it causes. (Daily Beast/Open Zion) Hassan Barari says, as long as there is no real "peace camp" in Israel, Lieberman is right that conflict management is all that can be accomplished. (Arab News) Shlomi Eldar says hunger striking Palestinian prisoners are invisible to almost all Jewish Israelis. (Al Monitor) Sharif Nashashibi asks why Palestinians are hesitating to try to file charges against Israel at the ICC.

Israelis, Palestinians and ‘managing the crisis’
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Arab News
by Hassan Barari - February 17, 2013 - 1:00am


A few days ago, the Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman said that chances to reach an agreement with the Palestinians on the issue of permanent borders would be modest. He argued that whatever happens, parties will be left only with “managing the crisis.” Difficult as it may look, Liberman has articulated what many observers already know. Ever since the peace process has run aground following the advent of Sharon’s first government, events unfolded have only reinforced what Liberman had said.



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