October 19th

Palestinians plan UN resolution calling for settlement evacuation ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Akiva Eldar - October 19, 2010 - 12:00am The Palestinian leadership, in conjunction with Arab states, plans to submit a resolution to the UN Security Council stating that Israeli settlements in the West Bank are illegal and must be evacuated, Haaretz has learned. This initiative comes in place of an earlier idea of seeking Security Council recognition for a Palestinian state within pre-1967 lines. » Read more

Sephardi leader Yosef: Non-Jews exist to serve Jews ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA) October 18, 2010 - 12:00am Israeli Sephardic leader Rabbi Ovadia Yosef in his weekly Saturday night sermon said that non-Jews exist to serve Jews. “Goyim were born only to serve us. Without that, they have no place in the world; only to serve the People of Israel,” he said during a public discussion of what kind of work non-Jews are allowed to perform on Shabbat. "Why are gentiles needed? They will work, they will plow, they will reap. We will sit like an effendi and eat," he said to some laughter. » Read more

Who made Netanyahu the leader of the Jewish people? ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The National by Tony Karon - (Opinion) October 18, 2010 - 12:00am 'Next, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will insist that he can't make peace with the Palestinians until they recognise the Jews as the Chosen People." That was the sarcastic tweet of one Jewish-American analyst on Israel's demand that Palestinians recognise it not only as a "Jewish state", but as "the national home of the Jewish people". » Read more

Netanyahu still wary of razing six West Bank outposts slated for demolition in 2004 ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz October 19, 2010 - 12:00am Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Tuesday that his cabinet needed more time to decide when and how to dismantle certain illegal West Bank outposts, due to the "political implications" involved. The government "needs time to consider its priorities" with regard to these outposts, Netanyahu said ahead of a High Court of Justice deliberation on the matter. The court last year ordered the state to explain why it had not evacuated six illegal West Bank outposts - Givat Assaf, Ma'aleh Rehavam, Givat Haroeh, Mitzpeh Yitzhar and Mitzpeh Lachish - that were slated for evacuation in 2004. » Read more

Israel must be disciplined ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Gulf News by Linda Heard - (Opinion) October 19, 2010 - 12:00am There are plenty of fingers wagging in Israel's direction these days for all kinds of reasons. But where are the metaphorical thumb screws? When any other country on the planet consistently falls foul of the international community's wishes or breaches international law, there is usually some kind of punishment in store. Israel, however, gets away with heinous crimes time and time again. » Read more

Arab Israelis in no man's land ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Asia Times by Victor Kotsov - October 20, 2010 - 12:00am On the surface, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict might appear as a fairly straightforward confrontation, between two clearly defined actors, based on clashing national aspirations. This is certainly how the international community (which, for the most part, sticks to the “two states for two peoples” mantra) prefers to look at it. However, reality is somewhat different and - to use a cliche - very complex. » Read more

Official: Israel seeks de facto recognition of east Jerusalem's illegal annexation ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua by Patrick Galey - October 19, 2010 - 12:00am RAMALLAH, Oct. 18 (Xinhua) -- Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat on Monday accused Israel of seeking a de facto recognition of its illegal annexation of East Jerusalem by hosting the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) conference in the city. Erekat said in a press statement emailed to reporters that the Palestinians thanked the countries that have decided to withdraw their attendance to the OECD Tourism Committee Summit to be held in Jerusalem on Oct. 20. » Read more

Minister: Israel seeks to retain PA market ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency October 16, 2010 - 12:00am RAMALLAH (Ma'an) – Israeli policy aims to retain the Palestinian Authority as a market for Israeli goods, PA Planning Minister Ali Jarbawi said Friday. Speaking at a meeting with former Canadian Finance Minister Greg Selinger, Jarbawi said Israel was obstructing the development of the Palestinian private sector. Meanwhile, the PA was working hard to develop the sector as the core of a future Palestinian state, Jarbawi said. » Read more

Report: Barghouthi to be freed in Shalit deal ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency October 19, 2010 - 12:00am MEDINA, Saudi Arabia (Ma'an) -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu agreed to release Fatah strongman Marwan Barghouthi in a prisoner swap deal for captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit when finalized, a Saudi Arabian newspaper reported Tuesday. According to Al-Madina, quoting sources, the German mediator told Hamas that Barghouthi would be freed but other prisoners on the Islamist movement's list would not. » Read more

Israel: ‘Loyalty Oath’ Bill to Change to Include Jews, Netanyahu Says ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times October 18, 2010 - 12:00am The government will amend a bill to require that all immigrants, not just non-Jews, take a loyalty pledge, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday. Opposition lawmakers had denounced the bill, whose original language was directed only at non-Jewish immigrants, saying it undermined the rights of Israel’s minority Arab community. Thousands have protested the bill, which calls for an oath of loyalty to a “Jewish and democratic” Israel.