July 23rd, 2012

Drama meets daily life in Palestinian film
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters
by Noah Browning - July 23, 2012 - 12:00am


Brazen and in broad daylight, "Israeli infantry" plunge deep into the West Bank Palestinian capital of Ramallah, hoisting a flag atop a makeshift checkpoint. A motley crowd of children, veiled ladies and young men in jeans chant defiantly in the summer sun at the soldiers clad in olive drab and facing them with rifles. A clash looms. "Cut!" Director Rashid Masharawi steps into the fray, his cargo shorts and straw sun hat breaking the illusion created by the actors and production company at the set of feature-length film "Palestine Stereo".


Israel's part in Egypt's revolution
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Khaled Diab - (Opinion) July 23, 2012 - 12:00am


Monday marks the anniversary of the Egyptian revolution. Not the Tahrir Square revolution that began last year – that is on 25 January – but the 23 July revolution of 1952. At a recent event I attended in Ramallah to mark the occasion, an Egyptian diplomat said that 2011 was a continuation of 1952.


Arab League backs bid for UN nod to Palestine
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Associated Press
by Mohammed Daraghmeh - July 22, 2012 - 12:00am


The Arab League on Sunday backed a Palestinian plan to ask the U.N. General Assembly to recognize a state of Palestine, but stopped short of setting a date for the bid, Palestinian officials said. Instead, Arab League representatives meeting in Doha asked a committee to prepare the U.N. appeal and report back on Sept. 5, said Saeb Erekat, an aide to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, speaking by phone from Doha. Timing is crucial, with a U.N. bid before November potentially disrupting the U.S. presidential race.


Palestinians still need visa to enter Egypt: Airport source
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ahram Online
July 23, 2012 - 12:00am


A source at Cairo Airport told Ahram Online employees have not received any instructions to allow Palestinians to enter Egypt without a visa. Earlier on Monday, Associated Press news agency quoted Egyptian Airport officials saying that Egypt has started allowing Palestinians free entry into the country, ending part of a five-year blockade on the Gaza Strip. The decision would mean Palestinians can freely leave Gaza, says AP, pointing out that the decision also applies to Palestinians in the West Bank and Jerusalem.


Defying the occupation with a camcorder
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Amira Hass - (Opinion) July 23, 2012 - 12:00am


Eight or nine of those who "carry the burden," to use the jargon of the recent public discourse on military service in Israel, burst into the house in the middle of the night. Their weapons pointed, they wear camouflage helmets, backpacks with walkie-talkies, and streaks of paint on their faces. In the house: parents, four children (two boys, two girls ), a grandmother (paralyzed after a stroke ), and two friends.


Egypt allowing Palestinians freer entry
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Associated Press
by Sarah El Deeb - July 23, 2012 - 12:00am


Egyptian and Palestinian officials say Egypt is allowing freer entry for Palestinians into the country, in an unprecedented move that eases long held travel restrictions particularly on Gazans but caused confusion among security agencies here. Airport officials said seven Gazans were allowed into Egypt Monday without the usual restrictions under which transiting Gazans under 40 years old were "deported" — taken in security escorts from the airport directly to Gaza, often after long detentions at the airport.


Israel, When the Lights Go Down
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times
by Jodi Rudoren - (Film Review) July 21, 2012 - 12:00am


Sitting in a darkened movie theater one recent morning, I had to suppress the urge to clap along as a dozen young male adherents of Rabbi Nachman of Breslov — well, actors playing Breslovers — danced around their black-hatted rabbi to an improvised ditty, “Ani lo yodea klum,” Hebrew for “I don’t know anything.” The rabbi had started the romp with that simple statement, trying to explain that wisdom was in the text for the taking.


Netanyahu attempt to split Kadima falters
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Associated Press
by Amy Teibel - July 23, 2012 - 12:00am


Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu launched a botched attempt to fragment Israel's main opposition party on Monday by wooing some of its lawmakers to rejoin his governing coalition just days after the bloc bolted his coalition. But the maneuver failed after he managed to win over only four Kadima Party lawmakers, leaving him with a relatively fragile majority that could be hard-pressed to survive challenges like a contentious court-ordered reform of the military draft and the 2013 budget.


July 20th

Report From the Two-State Frontlines
Media Mention of Ghaith al-Omari In The Jewish Daily Forward - July 20, 2012 - 12:00am

UPDATE, 12:38 PM The session ended with summaries by the three panelists of where they see things heading.


NEWS: The potential downfall of the Syrian regime is making Israel rethink its regional strategies. The PA expresses concern about Palestinians caught up in violence in Syria. Israel is concerned about Syria's stockpile of chemical weapons. Romney's visit to Israel is overshadowed by unrest in Syria. Israel releases a senior Hamas politician. Hamas says Pres. Morsy has promised to help lift the blockade of Gaza. Fatah says reconciliation talks with Hamas are on hold until the Palestinian election commission is allowed to resume work in Gaza. Israel says it will seek retribution “near and far” for the Bulgaria terrorist attack, which it blames on Iran. Experts say this is more likely to be in the form of covert action. Thousands of Palestinians are going to Jerusalem to pray on the first day of Ramadan. The American Jewish Committee breaks with mainstream Jewish consensus by siding with some key findings of the Levy Committee Report. Israeli settlers use summer camps to teach Jewish Israeli children to become settlers. Palestinian athletes are preparing to participate in the upcoming Olympics. Palestinian officials deny that American officials threatened a broad cutoff of aid if Palestinians resume efforts for greater recognition at the UN. COMMENTARY: Adam Gonn says PM Netanyahu is unfazed by the collapse of his super-coalition. Amos Harel says Israel is sure of Iranian responsibility for the Bulgaria attack. Carlo Strenger says “Zionism 2012” no longer believes in democracy, Jewish majorities or any of the ideas of old-fashioned Zionism. Rina Bassit says Israel is increasingly concerned about terrorism emanating from Africa. Nir Baram says the Israeli left needs to be much more straightforward about what's wrong with the occupation. Hannah Weisfeld says if the Levy Committee Report's findings are accepted by the Israeli government, the settlers will be short-term winners but Israel will be a long-term loser.

American Task Force on Palestine - 1634 Eye St. NW, Suite 725, Washington DC 20006 - Telephone: 202-262-0017