November 25th

Top UN official: Israel's policies are like apartheid of bygone era ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Shlomo Shamir - November 24, 2008 - 8:00pm United Nations General Assembly President Miguel D'Escoto Brockmann on Monday likened Israel's policies toward the Palestinians to South Africa's treatment of blacks under apartheid. Israel's actions in the West Bank and Gaza Strip were like "the apartheid of an earlier era," said Brockmann, of Nicaragua, speaking at the annual debate marking the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People. He added: "We must not be afraid to call something what it is." » Read more

Policeman filmed head-butting East Jerusalem residents ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Jonathan Lis - December 31, 1969 - 8:00pm The Justice Ministry's Police Investigation Department (PID) recently launched an investigation in efforts to locate a patrol police officer who was documented head-butting two Arab residents of East Jerusalem, a man and a woman, while evacuating homes slated for demolition. The policeman was filmed by an activist belonging to the human rights group B'Tselem during the preparation for the demolition of several buildings in the al-Boustan neighborhood in the Silwan village in the city. The footage was recently handed over to PID. » Read more

Hamas leaders abroad question group's iron grip on Gaza ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Avi Issacharoff - November 24, 2008 - 8:00pm Internal Hamas correspondence intercepted by the Palestinian Authority and obtained by Haaretz reveals a deep divide between the organization's leadership abroad and its West Bank leadership, on the one hand, and the Gaza leadership on the other. In the documents, the leadership abroad says it does not want "to control Gaza completely while losing the West Bank." » Read more

What preoccupies young Palestinian minds ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jordan Times by Daoud Kuttub - November 23, 2008 - 8:00pm The occupation is foremost on Palestinian youth’s mind. This was made clear in the Palestinian village of Beita, near Nablus, at an event held on November 17: the opening of the youth development resource centre, funded by USAID and some private international technical companies. » Read more

November 24th

What Obama Needs to Do First ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Israel Policy Forum by M.J. Rosenberg - (Opinion) November 20, 2008 - 8:00pm The Palestinian Authority, in a brilliant display of public relations, ran Hebrew-language ads this week, in Israel’s four major newspapers, endorsing the Arab Peace Initiative (formerly known as the Saudi plan) and calling on Israelis to support it, too. The Palestinian Authority is also urging President-elect Barack Obama to put his prestige behind the initiative as a critical first step to help end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. » Read more

PLO body elects Abbas 'President of Palestine' ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Agence France Presse (AFP) November 23, 2008 - 8:00pm Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas was elected president of Palestine on Sunday by a key decision-making body of the PLO, amid tensions with rival Islamists, officials said. The symbolic vote was taken at a meeting of the Palestine Liberation Organisation's (PLO) 120-member central council. "I announce that the PLO central council has elected Mahmoud Abbas president of the state of Palestine. He takes on this role from this day, November 23, 2008," the body's chairman Salem Al Zaanun told reporters. He said the vote was taken on a proposal from 75 members of the council. » Read more

'Humanitarian crisis looming in Gaza’ ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jordan Times November 23, 2008 - 8:00pm His Majesty King Abdullah on Sunday urged the international community to act immediately to end the suffering of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, warning that a humanitarian crisis with a devastating impact is looming in the enclave. He called for breaking the Israeli siege on the strip to allow in badly needed humanitarian assistance. King Abdullah made his remarks yesterday during a business lunch hosted by French Ambassador to the Kingdom Denys Gauer, attended by EU ambassadors. » Read more

Official Israeli study recommends deal with Syria, blocking of Palestinian polls ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Agence France Presse (AFP) November 23, 2008 - 8:00pm Israel should pursue peace talks with Syria next year to help contain perceived threats from Iran's nuclear program and Hamas, says an internal Israeli government report, which also highlighted the need to halt Palestinian democracy. Compiled by Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's National Security Council (NSC) and published in part by an Israeli newspaper on Sunday, the report argues for "paying the heavy price" of an accord with Syria - the return of the Occupied Golan Heights in line with international law. » Read more

Olmert in Washington for 'farewell' talks with Bush ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Agence France Presse (AFP) November 23, 2008 - 8:00pm Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert arrived in Washington on Sunday ahead of a farewell meeting with President George W. Bush, with Iran's nuclear drive set to overshadow stagnant Middle East peace talks. The Monday meeting is likely to be their last face-to-face exchange before Bush, who had once hoped to seal a Palestinian-Israeli deal in 2008, hands president-elect Barack Obama the keys to the White House on January 20. » Read more

Abbas says may call for Palestinian elections ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters by Wafa Amr - November 23, 2008 - 8:00pm Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said Sunday he would call for elections in 2009 if his secular Fatah movement and its Islamist rivals Hamas do not reconcile by the end of this year. "If the dialogue does not begin, and if we fail, I will issue a presidential decree early next year calling for simultaneous presidential and parliamentary elections," Abbas told members of the Palestine Liberation Organization. He did not name a date. Elections could be held 90 days after his decree, but there was no hint of when that might be. » Read more