West Bank stab suspect 'suicidal' ATFP World Press Roundup Article from BBC News February 12, 2010 - 1:00am A Palestinian man accused of killing an Israeli soldier in the West Bank may have been suicidal, the Israeli military has said. A senior military officer who spoke to alleged killer Mohammed Khatib, 34, told journalists "he said he was tired of living". Sgt Maj Ihab Khatib, 26, was stabbed in the chest as he sat in a 4x4 army vehicle on Wednesday. The attack has been condemned by the Palestinian Fatah movement. 'Personal circumstances' Mohammed Khatib, who is not related to the victim, is a senior police officer working for Fatah. » Read more

Peace making requires application of the law ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jordan Times by Rami Khouri - (Opinion) February 12, 2010 - 1:00am Of the many long-running conflicts that see two communities competing for the same piece of land, three in particular have always caught my attention: Northern Ireland, Cyprus and Palestine-Israel. The first is on the way to being resolved through peaceful political negotiations, with another advance this week in the areas of police powers and administration of justice. The Cyprus conflict has long lost its military edge, and shows signs of moving towards a breakthrough, due to both internal leadership changes and external pressures and inducements. » Read more

Talks and more talks ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jordan Times (Editorial) February 12, 2010 - 1:00am The Palestinian side seems to have caved in to the US demand to restart negotiations with Israel. The only condition this time, is to have talks conducted indirectly! So far so good, except for the fact that since direct talks with Israel went nowhere for so long, one wonders what the wisdom of continuing to talk is. » Read more

It's time to get tough with Israel's leaders ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Gulf News by George S. Hishmeh - (Opinion) February 12, 2010 - 1:00am Inch by inch, the Palestinian president appears to be once again succumbing to American pressure. He is about to allow his junior officials to start so-called "proximity talks" with their Israeli counterparts to pave the way for the resumption of peace negotiations, which broke down after Israel's invasion of Gaza in December 2008. » Read more

Bare Hands and Deteriorating Minds ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Dar Al-Hayat by Zuheir Kseibati - (Opinion) February 11, 2010 - 1:00am The opinion polls do not reveal surprising facts in Israel, as they promise the Likud Party and its leader Benjamin Netenyahu with more publicity among the Israelis. These polls promise to reward their extremism with more seats in the Knesset. » Read more

Goldstone fire far from extinguished ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Dan Izenberg - (Analysis) February 12, 2010 - 1:00am The government is often accused of conducting a policy of “extinguishing fires” – that is, of careening from one emergency to another without managing to establish a systematic and well-thought-out program. But in some cases, including very important ones, it seems that its policy is to do no more than dampen fires, without bothering to go to the trouble of extinguishing them altogether, even though one day in the distant – or not so distant – future, the flames may start up again. » Read more

No independent probe of Gaza war ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Herb Keinon - February 12, 2010 - 1:00am Israel believes that the report it gave UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon earlier this month on the investigations it is conducting into Operation Cast Lead is sufficient, and there is no need to set up an independent inquiry committee, The Jerusalem Post has learned. “Israel feels the report it gave was a serious, comprehensive, credible and complete answer to the UN secretary-general,” one senior official in the Prime Minister’s Office said. » Read more

Israel upholds legality of Jews-only housing complex in Jaffa ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Ofra Edelman - February 12, 2010 - 1:00am The Tel Aviv District Court rejected a petition this week against a decision to lease land in Jaffa's Ajami neighborhood for the exclusive use of members of the religious Zionist community. The petition, filed by Jaffa residents and human rights groups, challenged a decision by the Israel Lands Administration and the Tel Aviv municipality to lease the land in question to B'Emuna, a company specializing in housing complexes for the religious Zionist community. Its plan is to build three apartment buildings at the site. » Read more

Think tank: Israel faces global delegitimization campaign ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Barak Ravid - February 12, 2010 - 1:00am Israel is facing a global campaign of delegitimization, according to a report by the Reut Institute, made available to the cabinet on Thursday. The Tel Aviv-based security and socioeconomic think tank called on ministers to treat the matter as a strategic threat. The report cites anti-Israel demonstrations on campuses, protests when Israeli athletes compete abroad, moves in Europe to boycott Israeli products, and threats of arrest warrants for Israeli leaders visiting London. » Read more

IDF thwarts knife attack on soldier in Hebron ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Amos Harel, Anshel Pfeffer - February 12, 2010 - 1:00am The Israel Defense Forces thwarted an attempted stabbing attack by a Palestinian in Hebron on Friday. No soldier was injured during the incident, but the Palestinian attacker was shot in the stomach by IDF forces and later succumbed to his wounds at a hospital. IDF forces entered Hebron's Old City on Friday in response to reports of Palestinians throwing stones at a settler's home. Palestinians then proceeded to throw stone at the IDF forces that entered the area. » Read more