February 4th, 2013

Israel right to say 'Enough!' to grotesquely biased UNHRC inquiry ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Nachman Shai - (Opinion) February 1, 2013 - 1:00am As a re-elected Member of Knesset for the Labor Party, I was disturbed by two developments in the past couple of days: the UN Human Rights Council’s (UNHRC) call for sanctions against the State of Israel, and the decision of the New York Times to lambast  » Read more

NGOs Face Challenges in Gaza ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Al-Monitor by Hazem Balousha - (Opinion) February 3, 2013 - 1:00am For decades, Palestinian society has suffered from instability in the provision of basic needs, volatile political conditions and constantly changing authorities, while its civil institutions remain relatively stable. But the relationship between Palestine’s vast non-governmental network and authorities has often been fraught with tension. » Read more

Egypt holds Black Bloc member over 'Israeli sabotage plan' ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Agence France Presse (AFP) February 1, 2013 - 1:00am Egyptian authorities on Thursday detained a member of the Black Bloc group suspected of planning to carry out an Israeli-directed sabotage plan, the official MENA news agency said. One person "belonging to the Black Bloc organisation was arrested inside a building overlooking Tahrir Square carrying Israeli plans to target petrol companies and vital installations, maps of these places and instructions on setting fire to some places," MENA reported. Israel firmly rejected the notion of its involvement in any such plot. » Read more

East Asian nations to meet Fayyad in Japan on Palestinian aid ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Agence France Presse (AFP) February 4, 2013 - 1:00am Japan is to host a meeting of Asian countries next week to discuss financial assistance for the Palestinian Authority. Ministers from Japan, South Korea and several member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, such as Thailand and Indonesia, will get together on February 13 and 14, Kyodo News agency reported today. The Palestinian prime minister, Salam Fayyad, is expected to attend the meeting aimed at helping pave the way for resuming direct talks between the Palestinian Authority and Israel, the agency quoted government officials as saying. » Read more

Dancing in Ramallah ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Media Line by Diana Atallah - February 3, 2013 - 1:00am   They're dancing the night away, here of all places. While it might be normal to see men offering to buy women at the bar a drink, that hasn't always been the case in this city, where such establishments were once shut down during the second intifada and remain controversial among Palestinians. » Read more

Changes in Jerusalem police brass bring crackdown on Arab residents ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Nir Hasson - February 4, 2013 - 1:00am    Changes at the top of the Jerusalem District police are being felt in the eastern part of the capital. Palestinian residents in East Jerusalem have complained that the police, under New district commander Maj. Gen. Yossi Prienti, have been implementing an almost declared policy of collective punishment against neighborhoods considered too disruptive. » Read more

Israel Rewrites Rules of Game To Deal With Syria ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Al-Monitor by Ben Caspit - (Opinion) February 3, 2013 - 1:00am When big, historic structures disintegrate, laws are written anew. When familiar frameworks break up, rules change. This, more or less, is what’s happening now in the Middle East. » Read more

Palestinian farmer, activist, filmmaker — and Oscar nominee ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Los Angeles Times by Edmund Sanders - February 2, 2013 - 1:00am   Like many Palestinians, West Bank farmer Emad Burnat punctuates his life story with events from the Israeli occupation of his village. His first son was born amid the optimism that followed the 1993 Oslo peace accords, and another came just as the 2000 Palestinian uprising erupted. » Read more

Why Hagel must pay for bad U.S. Policy ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Daily Star by Rami Khouri - (Opinion) February 2, 2013 - 1:00am For anyone who wonders why so many people around the world criticize American and Israeli foreign policy and militarism, this has been a valuable learning week. I refer to the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearings on Chuck Hagel’s nomination to be the next U.S. » Read more

Islamic summit to recommend Palestine 'safety net' ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency February 4, 2013 - 1:00am The Organization of Islamic Cooperation summit in Cairo this week will recommend its members donate to a financial "safety net" for Palestine, according to a draft statement ahead of the conference. At a preparatory meeting of senior officials on Sunday, a statement was prepared calling on Islamic nations to donate to Palestine under the OIC banner. The funds will go towards Palestine's strategic plan to develop the city of Jerusalem, which was approved by the group in August 2012, according to the statement published on PA news site Wafa. » Read more