February 14th, 2013

'Egypt security forces nix Hamas office in Cairo' ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Ariel Ben Solomon - February 13, 2013 - 1:00am Egyptian security forces rejected a Muslim Brotherhood request to establish a Hamas office in Cairo after it had left its Damascus headquarters, according to Egyptian security sources quoted by Iraqi paper Azzaman on Tuesday. The security sources were quoted as saying that they put national security considerations first, especially now when Egypt is facing unrest and the new office could lead to further disturbances. » Read more

Hamas officials make first ever visit to EU country ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua February 13, 2013 - 1:00am A delegation from Hamas arrived Wednesday in Bulgaria in the first visit by officials from the Palestinian Islamic movement to a EU country. In a statement, Hamas' parliamentary bloc described the visit as "unprecedented." The EU classifies Hamas, which controls the Palestinian enclave of Gaza Strip, as a terrorist organization. » Read more

Encountering Peace: Netanyahu, the peace maker ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Gershon Baskin - (Opinion) February 13, 2013 - 1:00am   » Read more

Israeli security forces demolish 6 settler homes in West Bank outpost ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua February 13, 2013 - 1:00am Dozens of soldiers and members of the Israeli civil administration demolished on Wednesday six homes in an outpost located in the West Bank, military sources confirmed to Xinhua. In addition, four families residing in Ma'ale Rechavam, an outpost located at the Gush Etzion settlement bloc not far from Jerusalem, were evacuated from their houses. All roads leading to the outpost were blocked to prevent settlers and right-wing activists from returning to the spot. » Read more

Inside Out: Netanyahu’s Palestinian predicament ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Jonathan Rosen - (Opinion) February 14, 2013 - 1:00am Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s Palestinian predicament is truly vexing. The stakes are so high, and the confidence in the outcome is so low it is no surprise Netanyahu’s response in the past three years has been to do virtually nothing. » Read more

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