February 1st, 2013

Neither Syria nor Israel benefits in broader conflict ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The National (Editorial) February 1, 2013 - 1:00am The exact details are still sketchy, but the series of deliberate leaks are enough to confirm the Israeli air strike inside Syrian borders on Wednesday. Syrian regime officials insist that it was only a weapons-research facility that was hit, while US officials are saying that an arms convoy headed for Lebanon (and perhaps for Hizbollah) was also targeted. » Read more

Kerry likely to move cautiously on Middle East peace ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters by Arshad Mohammed - (Analysis) January 31, 2013 - 1:00am The United States has hinted it might try Middle East peace-making once again, but Secretary of State-designate John Kerry is likely to move cautiously, in contrast to U.S. » Read more

Why the attack on Syria suits Netanyahu ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Ben Caspit - (Opinion) February 1, 2013 - 1:00am On the calendar, a little more than five years separate the attack on the Syrian nuclear reactor in July 2007 and the strike on Syria this week (according to foreign reporters, of course). In reality, the two episodes are light years away. At the time of that first attack, there was complete quiet here. Syria was calm, too, Israel was licking its wounds from the Second Lebanon War, Hezbollah’s Hassan Nasrallah was in his bunker, the borders were quiet. You could hear a pin drop, if it dropped. » Read more

Learn from Israel ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Talal Salman - (Opinion) February 1, 2013 - 1:00am I assume many people throughout the Arab world were glued to their television sets as the results of the Israeli elections were being reported and analyzed the "democratic process" that unfolded. In my opinion, the event underscored the dismal situation of the Arab nations compared to the "Jewish ethnic groups" that gathered from all over the world to establish a Jewish state on Palestinian land. » Read more

Official: Israeli warplanes fly over Lebanon ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press by Bassem Mroue - February 1, 2013 - 1:00am Israeli warplanes flew over southern Lebanon Friday, two days after the Jewish state launched » Read more

Cheering then cursing: Israel and Turkey's volatile relations should be priority ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Louis Fishman - (Opinion) January 31, 2013 - 1:00am    Last week, in the midst of the Israeli election results, the Turkish media briefly switched its attention because of a major fire that took place at Istanbul's famous Galatasaray University campus, where a five hundred-year-old building caught ablaze, burning the architectural marvel. However, by morning time, all eyes were back on Israel, questioning if these results would lead to a government that would renew its ties with Turkey. » Read more

Israel may feel need to strike Syria again ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press by Josef Federman - January 31, 2013 - 1:00am An Israeli air attack staged in  » Read more

The fall and rise of Chuck Hagel: a good sign for US-Israel relations ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Christian Science Monitor by Rebecca Vilkomerson - (Opinion) January 31, 2013 - 1:00am With today's Senate confirmation hearing for Chuck Hagel as US secretary of Defense, it is worth taking a moment to review the fall and rise of Mr. Hagel’s nomination. It is a welcome, if overdue, sign that “daylight” between American and Israeli policies may be becoming more politically acceptable in Washington. » Read more

Hagel’s misreading of how to treat an ally ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Washington Post by Michael Doran - (Opinion) January 31, 2013 - 1:00am Chuck Hagel likes Ike. That much has been apparent for some time. » Read more

Syria Says It Has Right to Counterattack Israel ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times by Jodi Rudoren - February 1, 2013 - 1:00am Tensions over the Israeli airstrike on Syrian territory appeared to increase on Thursday as Syria delivered a letter to the  » Read more