February 12th

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

Major outbreak unlikely despite flare-up in Israeli- Palestinian clashes ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua by David Harris - February 11, 2010 - 1:00am For months Palestinian leaders have warned that if there is no progress on the peace front with the Israelis, Palestinians will become increasingly disillusioned and frustrated, with some likely to resort to violence. This week has seen clashes between the Palestinians and Israeli security personnel in Jerusalem and a deadly stabbing attack at an Israeli soldier in the West Bank. » Read more

Jordan calls for time frame to realize two-state solution ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua February 11, 2010 - 1:00am Jordan's Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh on Thursday emphasized the urgency to set a specific time frame to fulfill the two-state solution, which leads to the creation of an independent Palestinian state. During talks with Mark Otti, the European Union (EU)'s envoy to the Middle East, Judeh said it is important to intensify regional and international efforts to restart the stalled Palestinian- Israeli peace talks, the state-run Petra new agency reported. » Read more

Fatah urges Hamas to sign reconciliation file before AL summit ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua February 12, 2010 - 1:00am A high-ranking official of Palestinian Fatah movement Thursday in Egypt urged Hamas to sign the Egyptian-brokered reconciliation file before the yearly Arab summit next month. Nabil Shaath, a member of the Fatah central committee, made the remarks in a statement carried by the state-run MENA news agency. "The movement (Fatah) will not hold any discussions with Hamas unless Hamas accepts an Egyptian-sponsored paper on inter- Palestinian reconciliation," Shaath said in the statement. » Read more

Blair to 'intensify' work on Mideast peace-Clinton ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters by Sue Pleming, Andrew Quinn - February 12, 2010 - 1:00am Middle East envoy Tony Blair will "intensify" his work with U.S. negotiator George Mitchell to broker peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said on Thursday. The former British prime minister represents the "quartet" of Middle East negotiators made up of the United States, the European Union, the United Nations and Russia. "Tony Blair, as the Quartet representative, will intensify his partnership with Senator Mitchell in support of the political negotiations," Clinton said in a statement after speaking with Blair. » Read more

Hamas boycotts meeting over municipal elections ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency February 12, 2010 - 1:00am No members of the Hamas party attended the Thursday meeting of PLO factions alongside the elections committee to prepare for a June municipal vote across the West Bank and Gaza, Fatah General Elections Commissioner Muhammad Al-Madani said. Though Hamas is not part of the PLO, the party was invited to the meeting, Al-Madani said, to prepare for elections called by the Ramallah-based caretaker government on 2 February. The Palestinian Authority Cabinet, under appointed Prime Minister Salam Fayyad, set the elections date for 17 July 2010. » Read more