July 25th, 2012

There May Never Be Peace ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Project Magazine by Tom Philips - (Opinion) July 18, 2012 - 12:00am For the last six years I have served as a British ambassador in the Middle East, first to Israel and then to Saudi Arabia. I leave the region with particular sadness that in this period the chances of a solution to the long-running conflict between the Israelis and the Palestinians—on which, ultimately, turns the issue of Israel’s acceptance in the region—have grown bleaker. These are my ten rules for why this is the case. Rule 1: “The worst thing will always happen at the worst possible time” Examples are legion. A few follow. » Read more

Over 100 Gaza families flee Syria ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency July 25, 2012 - 12:00am GAZA CITY (Ma’an) -- More than 100 Palestinian families have fled Syria due to the deterioration in safety and security resulting from the uprising against President Bashar Assad, an official said Tuesday. Hamza Abu Shanab of the Gaza-based Palestinian Coalition for the Syrian Revolution told Ma'an that 105 families originally from the Gaza Strip have returned safely through Egypt's Rafah crossing in recent days. The families had business ties in Syria or were students studying at Syrian universities, Abu Shanab said. » Read more

Attempted bombing against Israeli soldiers near Gaza ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua July 25, 2012 - 12:00am JERUSALEM, July 25 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian militants in the southern Gaza Strip on Wednesday set off a bomb targeting several Israel Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers, an army source said. "Earlier this morning an explosive device was detonated against IDF soldiers who were performing routine activity adjacent to the security fence," the source told Xinhua Wednesday. The powerful blast, which Israel Radio said took place near the Kerem Shalom crossing point, did not cause any casualty or damage. » Read more

Israel Stands to Gain From Assad's Ouster ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'ariv by Eli Avidar - (Opinion) July 24, 2012 - 12:00am Ever since the demonstrations began in Syria in January 2011, the world has waited for a tie-breaking development in the struggle between the regime and the rebels. » Read more

Under Israeli blockade of Gaza, books are a rare, cherished commodity ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Christian Science Monitor by Ruqaya Izzidien - July 24, 2012 - 12:00am The Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip has been blamed for a multitude of problems facing the population there: malnutrition, unemployment, limited access to electricity and potable water. » Read more

What if Rabin Had Lived? ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'ariv by Ben Caspit - (Opinion) July 24, 2012 - 12:00am This week 20 years ago, Yitzhak Rabin's government was sworn in to the Knesset. Following the defeat of the Likud, Yitzhak Shamir retired permanently from political life. Rabin had prepared meticulously for his rise to power. » Read more

Hamas PM heads to Egypt to seek lift of Gaza closure ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua July 25, 2012 - 12:00am GAZA, July 25 (Xinhua) -- Prime minister of the Hamas authority in Gaza, Ismail Haneya, will visit Egypt Wednesday and meet Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi to discuss lifting the blockade on the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip. It will be the first meeting between the Hamas official and the Egyptian president. » Read more

Israel's crackdown on UN aid organization part of an assault on democracy ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Michael Sfard - (Opinion) July 25, 2012 - 12:00am You don't need to be Sherlock Holmes to grasp that Israel's democracy is under attack. » Read more

Abbas to delay Palestinian UN bid until after US elections ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Times of Israel by Gabe Fisher - July 24, 2012 - 12:00am Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has decided to delay a Palestinian bid for UN recognition until after US elections in the fall, Arabic daily Al Hayat reported on Tuesday. Last year, Abbas sought full UN membership for Palestine but failed to win the necessary votes in the UN Security Council. Palestine was eventually accepted as a member of UNESCO, the UN’s cultural and educational arm, in a separate process that drew harsh condemnation from Israel and the US. » Read more

Why Israel’s Right will stay in power ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Carlo Strenger - (Opinion) July 25, 2012 - 12:00am Over the last weekend the New York Times published an editorial entitled "Israel's embattled democracy" that expresses concern that Israel may be distancing itself from the liberal democratic principles on which it was founded. Of course, Jewish right-wing groups, both in Israel and the US, will point out that the NYT is anti-Israel, and that therefore we can simply disregard what they say. » Read more