May 22nd

When Doves Can’t Flock Together ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jewish Daily Forward by Ephraim Sneh - (Opinion) May 20, 2009 - 12:00am Twenty-four years ago this month, then-defense minister Yitzhak Rabin appointed me military governor of the West Bank. In two years in that post, I learned that reconciliation between Israelis and Palestinians is both feasible and necessary. In 1988, after I had retired from military service, Rabin and then-foreign minister Shimon Peres asked me to lead the first secret negotiations between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization. Since then, I have dedicated most of my energies to promoting Israeli-Palestinian peace. » Read more

Mideast 'extremists' have found their best possible ally in Netanyahu ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Daily Star (Editorial) May 20, 2009 - 12:00am When it comes to the decades-old Middle East conflict, consensus is exceedingly hard to come by, but one thing upon which all and sundry currently seem to agree is that the region is immersed in a struggle between two opposing camps, who have been labeled by some as "moderates" and "extremists." The latter group might as well start including Benjamin Netanyahu on their payrolls, since the Israeli premier is proving himself to be one of the best allies of their cause. » Read more

Bill to 'fortify Jerusalem' would require 80 MKs to change capital's boundaries ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post May 21, 2009 - 12:00am On the anniversary of the unification of Jerusalem, MKs from five factions representing both the coalition and the opposition submitted a bill on Thursday that would require a supermajority vote within the Knesset to enact any change to Jerusalem's borders. Coalition chairman MK Ze'ev Elkin (Likud) submitted the amendment to the Basic Law: Jerusalem, Capitol of Israel, Thursday morning. The amendment would require a special majority of 80 MKs to approve any change to the capital's borders. » Read more

Right seeking alternatives to 2-states ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Gil Hoffman - May 21, 2009 - 12:00am It is not an uncommon occurrence when plans to solve the conflict with the Palestinians are presented in the Knesset, but it is unprecedented when several diplomatic alternatives are raised in one afternoon by the Right. That's what is set to happen on Tuesday in a conference entitled "Alternatives to the Two-State Outlook." The event, organized by Likud MK Tzipi Hotovely, was purposely timed to coincide with the aftermath of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's meeting with US President Barrack Obama. » Read more

Pain and hope ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Los Angeles Times (Opinion) May 22, 2009 - 12:00am Palestinian doctor Izzeldin Abuelaish Izzeldin Abuelaish came to the world's attention during the recent offensive in the Gaza Strip, when the respected obstetrician, holed up with his family in their home, gave daily interviews from the battle zone on Israeli television and radio. » Read more

Palestinian residents protest Jerusalem Day ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Ronen Medzini - May 22, 2009 - 12:00am Demonstrators carrying Palestinian flag, signs saying 'wake up from fantasy of unification', say 'city has never been unified… there is no equality in it'. City Council member Meir Margalit calls national holiday 'one big lie' Ronen Medzini » Read more

Settlers begin rebuilding Maoz Ester ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Erfat Weiss - May 21, 2009 - 12:00am Six hours after security forces evacuate West Bank outpost, youths return vowing to make it larger Just six hours after it was evacuated by security forces, the West Bank outpost of Maoz Ester was being rebuilt Thursday by dozens of settlers who returned to the site of their deconstructed homes. MK Michael Ben Ari (National Union) also arrived at the scene and nailed a mezuzah to the wooden structure being raised by the settlers, explaining: "It's my duty as a legislator". » Read more

PM: Jerusalem will always be ours ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Ronen Medzini - May 21, 2009 - 12:00am State ceremony marking Jerusalem Day sees Netanyahu, President Peres vow capital will never again be divided. Abbas aide: Israeli occupation of east Jerusalem illegal The State ceremony marking Jerusalem Day was held Thursday at the capital's Ammunition Hill. "Unified Jerusalem is the capital of Israel. Jerusalem always has been and always will be ours and it will never be divided again," said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, to the sounds of roaring applause. » Read more

Return of the boomerang ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz May 22, 2009 - 12:00am It's possible that a sorcerer with a particularly black sense of humor has put a curse on every Israeli prime minister since David Ben-Gurion: They are all fated, sooner or later, to confront head-on precisely their worst nightmares. To deal, during their own particular term, with everything they'd wanted to repress, to cause to be forgotten and to put off for their whole lives - in a kind of test of fire that will determine their political fate. » Read more

Evacuating outposts is easiest gesture ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Amos Harel - (Analysis) May 22, 2009 - 12:00am Neither the aggressive statements made by Defense Minister Ehud Barak in support of evacuating West Bank outposts, his growing agreement with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the need to evacuate some of the illegal Jewish settlements, nor the evacuation of the Maoz Ester outpost on Thursday necessarily point to a fundamental change in the government's policy on the matter. » Read more