May 11th

Work toward Middle East peace by any means available ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Daily Star by Daoud Kuttab - (Opinion) May 11, 2010 - 12:00am Middle East conflict, but it is hard to say what. A breakthrough appears to be at hand, though all the parties still seem to be clinging to their traditional positions. The Arab League has given the go-ahead to indirect Palestinian-Israeli talks, and the various Palestinian leadership forums have approved the resumption of talks. Even the usually boisterous Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erakat has toned down his rhetoric, and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has given an optimistic interview to Israel TV. » Read more

Two Israeli-Arab activists held for suspected espionage ATFP World Press Roundup Article from BBC News May 10, 2010 - 12:00am Two Israeli-Arab political activists have been arrested and accused of spying and contact with "agents from Hezbollah", Israeli police say. Omar Sayid, a member of the Israeli-Arab political party Balad was arrested on 24 April. Amir Makhoul, head of a group of Arab organisations, was arrested on 6 May. A gag order was lifted on the case on Monday, as Israeli-Arab organisations planned a protest against what they are calling political persecution. » Read more

Optimism is also an option ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Gershon Baskin - (Opinion) May 11, 2010 - 12:00am I am convinced that it is possible to make real progress through proximity talks, and given the level of mutual mistrust, I even believe it is the preferred means. I am told by diplomats that I am the only optimist in the Middle East. There are certainly reasons to be pessimistic about the chances for peace, but I will not be dissuaded just because we have failed to reach peace so far. The difficulty in restarting negotiations is, of course, a result of many years of failed talks, an intifada, a war in Gaza and the election of a right-wing religious government in Israel. » Read more

'Ruling others erodes our global status' ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post May 10, 2010 - 12:00am Israel’s continued control over the Palestinians is eroding Israel’s global standing, Defense Minister Ehud Barak said Monday. “We won’t give up anything connected to security, but it’s important to say that continuing to control another nation is very problematic,” he said at the Labor faction meeting. “We can reach an agreement to end this without sacrificing our security. “ Saying that ruling over the Palestinians “causes our erosion internationally,” Barak called for Israel to present a peace plan “on all diplomatic issues.” » Read more

NGO petitions against reopening Highway 443 to Palestinians ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Dan Izenberg - May 11, 2010 - 12:00am The Shurat Hadin Israel Law Center organization on Monday petitioned the High Court of Justice on behalf of more than 1,000 Israelis who drive on Highway 443, asking it to reject as insufficient to ensure safety the security measures the IDF intends to apply when the road is reopened to Palestinian traffic on May 29. Until such time as effective measures are in place, Palestinians should continue to be prohibited from driving on the road, Shurat Hadin attorney Nitzana Darshan-Leitner wrote. » Read more

Hundreds protest arrest of alleged Arab spies ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Sharon Roffe-ofir - May 10, 2010 - 12:00am Some 300 people rallied in Haifa Monday evening in protest of the arrest of well-known Arab figures Omar Said and Ameer Makhoul on suspicion of contacting a Hezbollah agent. Several Arab Knesset members attended the rally as well, including Balad Chairman Jamal Zahalka, Hadash Chairman Mohammad Barakeh and MK Talab El-Sana (United Arab List-Ta'al). "We won't let (Israel) turn our political activities into security offenses," said Zahalka. » Read more

UN report says human security absent in Palestine ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency May 11, 2010 - 12:00am Bethlehem - Ma'an/Agencies - The widespread absence of human security in the occupied Palestinian territory has impeded progress for Palestinians, the latest UN Human Development Report found. » Read more

Israel's security measures? Don't make me laugh ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz (Opinion) May 9, 2010 - 12:00am Who says Jewish humor has disappeared from Israel? Who says that even the state's shadowiest organizations don't enjoy occasional moments of levity, in between carrying out assassinations and foiling conspiracies? Israel's ongoing fascistization, isolation, nationalism and militarism don't make for much comic relief. So listen to what Barak Ravid reported in Haaretz on Thursday. » Read more

Israel to demolish West Bank construction freeze violations ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Chaim Levinson - May 11, 2010 - 12:00am The Civil Administration is planning to raze buildings in 46 locations in the northern West Bank where violations of the freeze on settlement construction were found to have occurred. According to a document obtained by Haaretz, the plan includes razing six foundations for buildings in the settlement of Yitzhar. A law enforcement source told Haaretz that efforts to raze structures erected in violation of the freeze will be expedited in the near future, due to Israel's desire to show that it is serious about the freeze now that proximity talks with the Palestinians are beginning. » Read more

Special Place in Hell / If the secret police ran a Jewish state ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Bradley Burston - (Opinion) May 10, 2010 - 12:00am If a Jewish state were run by the secret police, Israelis could disappear without a trace. No contact with lawyers. Court-ordered muzzles on broadcast and print news media. If a Jewish state were run by the secret police, there were be gag orders forbidding journalists to write even of the existence of the gag orders. Thank God such a thing couldn't happen here. » Read more