February 21st, 2012

We are committed to reconciliation agreement - Hamas official ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Asharq Alawsat by Ali El-saleh - (Interview) February 17, 2012 - 1:00am London, Asharq Al-Awsat –Senior Hamas figure Khalil al-Hayya informed Asharq Al-Awsat that the Hamas movement is committed to the Doha Declaration, although he acknowledged that there are some “legal” issues that must be dealt with before this can be implemented. Al-Hayya, who is a member of the Hamas Political Bureau for the Gaza Strip spoke to Asharq Al-Awsat about the Doha Declaration in the wake of inflammatory comments issued by another senior Hamas figure, Mahmoud al-Zahar. » Read more

Palestinian journalists under pressure ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Guardian by Roy Greenslade - (Blog) February 21, 2012 - 1:00am The International Press Institute (IPI) has registered its concern over the treatment of Palestinian journalists by both Israeli forces and Palestinian security services. The press freedom watchdog says that since the beginning of 2012, at least five journalists working in the Palestinian territories have been subjected to arbitrary arrest. Two more have had their detention periods extended. Three of those who were arrested recently were allegedly interrogated for several hours about their writing before being released. The other two remain in custody. » Read more

Q&A affecting the future of the Middle East ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Gershon Baskin - (Opinion) February 20, 2012 - 1:00am Over the past two weeks I have been on a speaking tour in the United States (one more week to go). I am appearing on college campuses, some, such as Johns Hopkins, American University and George Washington in the main cities of the country. » Read more

How Israeli negligence led to the death of a Palestinian car thief ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Chaim Levinson - (Analysis) February 20, 2012 - 1:00am The figure at the side of the road was completely still. A pedestrian who saw him in the early morning light came close, and found the body of a young man. He was barefoot and clad in a thin hospital gown from the Sheba Medical Center at Tel Hashomer. » Read more

Israel demolishes West Bank villages as Jewish outposts remains untouched ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Akiva Eldar - (Analysis) February 21, 2012 - 1:00am It is doubtful whether Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has expressed great concern over the fate of Migron's residents, has heard of Tha'lah. Unfortunately for the village's residents, Tha'lah is situated in Area C, which is under Israel jurisdiction. Minister Benny Begin, who worked so tirelessly on the questionable "agreement" that will leave the Migron criminals on stolen land for a few more years (if it is ever implemented ), presumably does not know what happened to the residents of this tiny village in the Southern Hebron Hills. » Read more

Netanyahu mustn't demolish the strategic alliance with U.S. ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Sefi Rachlevsky - (Opinion) February 21, 2012 - 1:00am In an interview with The New York Times, Defense Minister Ehud Barak listed three conditions for going to war against Iran, a threefold test: Military action must significantly delay Iran's nuclear program; it must result in minimal harm to Israel's home front; and it must receive massive American and international support. As prime minister, Barak brandished the test of results as his sword, and fell on it several months later. But now, the same old song is playing again. » Read more

Adelson to give $10 million more to PAC supporting Gingrich ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA) February 19, 2012 - 1:00am (JTA) -- Casino and hotel magnate Sheldon Adelson reportedly has plans to give another $10 million to a group supporting Newt Gingrich for the Republican presidential nomination. The donation to Winning Our Future, an independent committee, or Super PAC, that is run by former Gingrich associates, reportedly will be delivered in the coming days, CBS News reported, citing an unnamed source close to Adelson. CNN reported the same, also citing an unnamed source with knowledge of the donation. » Read more

Second Jerusalem church vandalized ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA) February 20, 2012 - 1:00am JERUSALEM (JTA) -- A church in Jerusalem was vandalized with an anti-Christian slogan for the second time this month. "Death to Christians" was painted Monday on the walls of the Baptist Narkis Street Congregation. The words "Price Tag" and bad language about Jesus also were written, according to reports, and the tires of several cars in the area were slashed. Two weeks ago, the 11th-century Monastery of the Cross Church was similarly vandalized. » Read more

Police prepare for possible Temple Mount clashes ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Yaakov Lappin, Melanie Lidman - February 21, 2012 - 1:00am Jerusalem Police was preparing for the possibility of clashes between right-wing activists and Palestinians on and around the Temple Mount Tuesday morning. The preparations followed a call by Palestinian activists to come and "protect" the Temple mount after right-wing activists said they would ascend to the holy site. Overnight Monday, police raided an apartment in Jerusalem's Ramot neighborhood and found extremist right-wing documents related to the Temple Mount. Police arrested one activist and took him for investigation. » Read more

The cool new Palestinians: geeks ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Christian Science Monitor by Jackie Spinner - February 18, 2012 - 1:00am In the hip Ramallah coffee shop ZAMN, Yousef Ghandour laments the slow Wi-Fi as he launches the beta version of one of his many start-ups, a social networking site that allows users to travel through time to find connections. Mr. Ghandour, who never wastes a moment, shares the e-books he is currently reading on his iPhone (among them, "Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap ... and Others Don't"), shows off his blog, and lingers for a moment on his latest vision for a social networking site for Muslims called AnaBasili, or "I'm praying." » Read more