October 23rd, 2012

Israeli ministry markets hundreds of housing units in controversial area
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua
October 23, 2012 - 12:00am

JERUSALEM, Oct. 22 (Xinhua) -- The Israeli housing and construction ministry announced Monday the marketing of 5,000 new housing units nationwide, nearly 700 of which are located in a controversial area beyond the 1967 borders, local news outlets reported. The announcement comes just several days after the European Union (EU) denounced Israel for building in the Jerusalem neighborhood of Gilo.

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Survey: Most Israeli Jews would support apartheid regime in Israel
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Gideon Levy - October 23, 2012 - 12:00am

Most of the Jewish public in Israel supports the establishment of an apartheid regime in Israel if it formally annexes the West Bank. A majority also explicitly favors discrimination against the state's Arab citizens, a survey shows. The survey, conducted by Dialog on the eve of Rosh Hashanah, exposes anti-Arab, ultra-nationalist views espoused by a majority of Israeli Jews. The survey was commissioned by the Yisraela Goldblum Fund and is based on a sample of 503 interviewees.

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Israel not committed to two-state solution -Carter
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters
by Ori Lewis, Maayan Lubell - October 23, 2012 - 12:00am

JERUSALEM, Oct 22 (Reuters) - Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter on Monday said the Israeli-Palestinian peace process had reached a crisis point and that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government was not pursuing a two-state solution. "That policy of promoting a two-state solution seems to be abandoned now and we are deeply concerned about this move towards this catastrophic so-called one-state choice ... this is a major concern," Carter told a news conference.

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Romney, Obama pledge Israel backing, agree Iran strike last resort
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters
by Tabassum Zakaria - October 23, 2012 - 12:00am

WASHINGTON, Oct 23 (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama and Republican challenger Mitt Romney vied on Monday over who was Israel's strongest defender but both agreed that a military strike over Iran's nuclear program must be a "last resort." Tehran's nuclear program, which the West suspects is for developing weapons and that economic sanctions have so far failed to stop, is almost certain to be among the top foreign policy challenges facing the next president.

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Bomb wounds Israeli officer on Gaza border
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters
by Maayan Lubell - October 23, 2012 - 12:00am

JERUSALEM - An Israeli officer was severely wounded on Tuesday when a bomb went off beside an army patrol along the border with the Gaza Strip, a military spokeswoman said. The attack came hours before the Emir of Qatar arrived in Gaza in the first visit by a head of state to the blockaded enclave since it was taken over in 2007 by the Iranian-backed Islamist Hamas movement. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel will deliver a strong response to the attack. "We will fight and we will hit them very, very hard," Netanyahu said.

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Fatah 'not invited' to meet Qatari emir
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency
October 22, 2012 - 12:00am

GAZA CITY (Ma'an) -- Fatah has not been invited to meet Qatar's emir who is due to visit the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, a Fatah leader said Monday. Yahya Rabah told Ma'an that Fatah received no invitation from Qatar or the Hamas-led government in Gaza to meet Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani. Rabah, who is based in Gaza, said Fatah was not informed of the reason for the visit or any of the arrangements but said the trip raised questions.

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Qatari emir visits Gaza in boost to Hamas rulers
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press
by Ibrahim Barzak - October 23, 2012 - 12:00am

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip —The emir of Qatar received a hero's welcome in Gaza on Tuesday, becoming the first head of state to visit the Palestinian territory since the Islamist militant Hamas seized control of the coastal strip five years ago.

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October 22nd

NEWS: Fatah scores a mixed result in Palestinian municipal elections, which Hamas boycotted. Palestinian voters are driven by civic duty and economic concerns. Some analysts say the result was a failure for Fatah. Israel seizes control of an activist ship bound for Gaza. Israeli forces kill 2 militants in Gaza. PM Netanyahu says there will be no limit on Israeli settlement activity in occupied East Jerusalem. The Emir of Qatar is expected to visit Gaza this week. The Israeli government defers a decision on the Levy Committee Report. Israel is planning to build a National Defense College in occupied East Jerusalem near the Mount of Olives. The rise of Salafists in Gaza robs Hamas of the banner of “resistance.” The Israeli military thinks Hamas is gaining strength in the occupied West Bank. Extremist Jewish Israelis are suspected in an attack on a Palestinian taxi. COMMENTARY: Khaled Diab says Israel has squandered many opportunities on peace. Akiva Eldar says Arabs need to do more to sell the Arab Peace Initiative. Susan Hattis Rolef says Netanyahu won't make the mistake of accepting the Levy Committee Report recommendations. Philip French reviews the film "5 Broken Cameras.” Jonathan Freedland chides those quick to condemn Israel but seemingly uninterested in atrocities committed by the Syrian regime. Noam Marans complains about a letter from American Christian groups to Congress questioning aid to Israel. Moriel Rothman explains a decision not to serve in the Israeli military. Stephen Spiegel says Pres. Obama has a good record on Israel. Keith Koffler says in tonight's presidential campaign debate, Republican candidate Mitt Romney has a chance to win over Jewish Americans. Gershom Gorenberg says former PM Olmert does not offer solutions to the problems posed by Netanyahu's leadership.

Romney’s big chance with Jewish voters
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters
by Keith Koffler - (Opinion) October 22, 2012 - 12:00am

Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney at the Monday foreign policy debate, should play to the Jewish TV audience like he was the star of a Borscht Belt revue.

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Obama’s bad for Israel? His record indicates otherwise
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Times of Israel
by Steven L. Spiegel - (Opinion) October 19, 2012 - 12:00am

President Obama has been criticized for being antagonistic to or wrong for Israel. Some go so far as to claim that he is the worst president for Israel in American history. Really?

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