December 3rd

Boycott revival? ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Jon Haber - December 2, 2009 - 1:00am After a three year slumber, the divest-from-Israel "movement" in the US is making an attempt at self-resurrection. It remains to be seen if history will repeat itself this time as tragedy or farce. » Read more

Progress Requires Patience, Compromise and Courageous Leadership ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Middle East Progress (Interview) December 1, 2009 - 1:00am What is the significance of the Israeli government’s announcement on a settlement construction freeze in the West Bank? What are your next steps now that the Israeli government has made this announcement? » Read more

There’s no turning back ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Shimon Shiffer - (Opinion) December 2, 2009 - 1:00am It was hard to believe the prime minister Tuesday evening when he declared that the settlement freeze is a temporary one-time move, to be followed by resumed construction; a statement he made in a bid to mitigate the anger of the settlers. However, it appears that nothing is more permanent than the temporary: This assumption may turn out to be accurate in respect to the cabinet’s decision to freeze settlement construction for 10 months. » Read more

Barak: Settlements are part of Israel ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Tal Rabinovsky - December 3, 2009 - 1:00am Defense Minister Ehud Barak met with four West Bank council heads in his office on Wednesday, and stressed to them that "the settlement blocs are an inseparable part of Israel in all future negotiations with the Palestinians. The Jordan Valley and the Dead Sea are regions that are dear to my heart." Present at the meeting were Alfei Menashe Council head Hasdai Eliezer, Megilot Council head Mutzi Dahman, head of the Jordan Valley Regional Council David David Elhayani, and Oranit Council head Shumi Langer. » Read more

Israel forces detain Jewish settlement mayor ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Los Angeles Times by Richard Boudreaux - December 3, 2009 - 1:00am Israeli security forces arrested the mayor of a Jewish settlement Wednesday as he and other residents tried to prevent government inspectors from entering the community to enforce new restrictions on building in the West Bank. The skirmish in Beit Aryeh was the most serious in five days of confrontations across the territory between a government that appears intent on limiting settlement growth over the next 10 months and a settler movement determined to defy the effort. » Read more

Israel Arrests Settlers Fighting Freeze ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times by Isabel Kershner - December 2, 2009 - 1:00am EFRAT, West Bank — The Israeli police made their first arrests on Wednesday as part of the state’s effort to enforce a temporary construction freeze in Jewish settlements in the West Bank, briefly detaining the mayor of a settler council and at least two Jewish protesters. Both sides are trying hard to show how determined they are — the state in enforcing the moratorium, and the settlers in thwarting the state’s plans. » Read more

December 2nd

Israel stripped thousands of Jerusalem Arabs of residency in 2008 ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Nir Hasson - December 2, 2009 - 1:00am Last year set an all-time record for the number of Arab residents of East Jerusalem who were stripped of residency rights by the Interior Ministry. Altogether, the ministry revoked the residency of 4,577 East Jerusalemites in 2008 - 21 times the average of the previous 40 years. » Read more

Peres accuses Hamas of holding up Shalit deal ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Avi Issacharoff - December 2, 2009 - 1:00am President Shimon Peres accused Hamas on Wednesday of holding up a deal for the release of Gilad Shalit, amid reports that talks have hit a snag over 50 prisoners whom Israel refuses to free in return for the abducted Israeli soldier. "The delay is not caused by the Israeli government but rather by the other side - there are internal disagreements within Hamas," Army Radio quoted Peres as saying in speech to students at Kibbutz Yotveta. » Read more

David Makovsky / Obama and Netanyahu: Lessons of 2009 ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by David Makovsky - (Opinion) December 1, 2009 - 1:00am WASHINGTON - The announcement of a moratorium on building in the settlements ends the first chapter of U.S.-Israel relations during the Obama era. There are lessons for all. The move by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is clearly a bid to improve U.S.-Israel relations as much as it is an effort to restart negotiations with the Palestinians. It may also be a counterbalance toward Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, against a potential prisoner swap with Hamas for Gilad Shalit. » Read more

Magazine names Fayyad one of 100 top global thinkers ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency December 2, 2009 - 1:00am Prime Minister Salam Fayyad was ranked 61 on the American magazine Foreign Policy's Top 100 Global Thinkers list published this week. Fayyad earned his spot, the report said, "for showing how to govern effectively in the middle of a conflict." Summing up his contribution to global leadership, the magazine wrote: » Read more