February 13th, 2012

Iran urges Hamas to continue fight against Israel
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press
by Nasser Karimi - February 12, 2012 - 1:00am

TEHRAN, Iran — Iran's leaders urged the Hamas prime minister of Gaza to continue the Islamic militant group's resistance against Israel and promised support, state TV reported on Sunday. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei told Hamas' Ismail Haniyeh that Iran would always stand by the Palestinian "resistance" against Israel and warned him against "compromisers." President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for his part said it was Iran's "duty" to stand by the Palestinians.

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Hamas Premier Visits Iran in Sign of Strong Relations
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times
by Fares Akram, Isabel Kershner - February 10, 2012 - 1:00am

GAZA — Ismail Haniya, the prime minister of the Hamas government in Gaza, arrived in Iran on Friday for a visit that suggested that relations between Hamas and Iran remained good despite reports of tensions over Syria.

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Palestinian unity deal a mistake: Gaza Hamas leader
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Agence France Presse (AFP)
February 12, 2012 - 1:00am

CAIRO — Senior Hamas official Mahmud Zahar slammed a Palestinian unity deal as a "mistake" that has thrown the Islamist movement into crisis, in an interview with Egypt's official MENA agency published on Sunday. Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal signed an agreement with Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas earlier this month placing Abbas at the head of an interim government charged with organising elections later this year. The decision to have Abbas head the government "is a mistake," Zahar told MENA. "No one inside the Hamas movement was consulted."

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February 10th

NEWS: Palestinian officials say they will consult the Arab League on the future of talks with Israel. Fatah and the PLO support Pres. Abbas' deal with Hamas. PA security forces arrest 56 people in Israeli-controlled areas of occupied Hebron. Many Palestinian towns in “Area C” have no electricity. Extremist settlers raid a Palestinian village near Nablus. Hamas' ties with Iran are continuing to fray. Suspended PA Economy Minister Abu Libdeh and one of his aides face corruption charges. A Likud-sponsored bill in the Knesset would provide 35% tax breaks for funding "Zionist settlement," although it does not specify where. DM Barak approves more new settlement homes, which activists say amounts to a new settlement. American musician Cat Power cancels an appearance in Israel, citing Israel's policies. Anonymous hackers threaten cyber attacks against Israeli websites. COMMENTARY: The Washington Post says unless Hamas changes its policies, Palestinian national unity will do more harm than good. Yossi Sarid says Shin Bet is looking for extremists on West Bank hilltops but can find them in the Likud Central Committee. Yoel Marcus says the Herzliya Conference turned into a forum for empty “babbling” about Iran. Guy Bechor says the Arab uprisings mean the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is no longer central to Middle Eastern realities. Ziad al-Drees says the Russian and Chinese vetoes on Syria, along with continued US vetoes on Israel, show that the veto system at the UNSC is dysfunctional. George Hishmeh says money from large donors like corporations or individuals such as Sheldon Adelson show that cash still drives American elections. The Arab News welcomes the Palestinian agreement, but says moving forward will not be easy. Zvi Bar'el says the Palestinian agreement should prompt the Quartet to adopt policies designed to push Hamas towards accepting a two-state solution. Yusef Harb says Palestinian political factions must catch up with the movement of the public. Alon Ben-Meir says psychology is key to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The Psychological Dimension of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Huffington Post
by Alon Ben-Meir - (Opinion) February 9, 2012 - 1:00am

On the surface, the lack of progress in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process seems illogical and unsettling.

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‘Anonymous’ Hacker Group Threatens ‘Reign of Terror’ Against Israel
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Oded Yaron - February 10, 2012 - 1:00am

The hacker group “Anonymous” released a video Friday threatening to begin a ‘reign of terror’ against Israel, in the latest round of cyber warfare between pro-Palestinian and pro-Israeli hackers. The video, which was posted on YouTube in the early hours of the morning, blamed Israel for committing 'crimes against humanity,' and criticizing it for its treatment of Palestinians. Anonymous hackers

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We must catch up
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Bitterlemons
by Yusef Harb - (Interview) February 6, 2012 - 1:00am

bitterlemons: How do you think the "Arab spring" is affecting the average Palestinian? Harb: The Arab spring has its causes and is a natural response to the political and social regimes that have been in power in the Arab states for the last 50 years. Palestinian society, however, has a clear distinction from the regimes in the Arab world. It is led by a new, modern regime, one created in 1994 through the Oslo agreement and one that protects the capabilities of the Palestinian people.

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The real domino effect
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Bitterlemons
by Zvi Barel - (Opinion) February 6, 2012 - 1:00am

Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal has been full of surprises in the last couple of months. First came his announcement that the Israeli-Palestinian negotiations should be given a chance. Then came the reconciliation agreement between Fateh and Hamas, which was followed by Meshaal's confirmation that he would not run for another term as director of Hamas' political bureau. And last but not least, he and his family left Syria and now he is looking for a new shelter for Hamas' headquarters.

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Rock Musician Cat Power Cancels Israel Show, Citing Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press
February 10, 2012 - 1:00am

JERUSALEM — American musician Cat Power has canceled her show in Israel, joining a list of artists shunning the country over its conflict with the Palestinians. Charlyn Marie Marshall, better known by her stage name Cat Power, was to perform in Tel Aviv on Sunday. But she tweeted on Friday that due to “much confusion” she felt she could not play for her Israeli fans and that she felt “sick in her spirit.” She had faced calls to boycott the Jewish state.

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Palestinian unity accord
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Arab News
(Editorial) February 9, 2012 - 1:00am

The new deal signed in Qatar on Tuesday follows on from last May’s agreement in Cairo, where both sides seemed on the brink of coming together. That process foundered because Hamas rejected Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’ choice of Salam Fayyad as prime minister in the new coalition administration. Fayyad, who has very effectively restructured the security forces on the West Bank, has now been dropped from the ticket.

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