May 25th

700 days of no, and one yes: George Mitchell on peacemaking ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Politico by Laura Rozen - May 25, 2010 - 12:00am With Israeli-Palestinian indirect proximity talks having finally gotten underway after more than a year of his shuttle diplomacy, Middle East peace envoy George Mitchell took to two stages Monday evening to talk about his peacemaking efforts in the Middle East and Northern Ireland in the role of diplomatic dean. » Read more

Harsh jail rules for Hamas prisoners threaten riots, Israel warned ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The National by Omar Karmi - May 24, 2010 - 12:00am Hamas officials yesterday warned that new legislation before the Israeli parliament that seeks to worsen conditions for Hamas prisoners detained in Israeli jails could spark prison riots that might spill over into the streets. Human rights organisations also condemned the legislation, which cleared a major hurdle on Sunday when it passed a ministerial committee and received the support of the Israeli government. » Read more

Even picnics in Israel are political ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Guardian by Neve Gordon - May 25, 2010 - 12:00am Picnics, like almost everything else in Israel, are often political. Oz Shelach underscores this point in his collection of short stories, Picnic Grounds, where he describes how a history professor takes his family on a picnic in the pine forest near Givat Shaul, a Jerusalem neighbourhood. The professor teaches his son some of the camping skills he learned while serving in the Israeli military, using old stones to block the wind and to protect the newly lit fire. The stones, we are told, are the remains of a village known as Deir Yassin. » Read more

Bring in the third parties ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Gershon Baskin - May 25, 2010 - 12:00am Israeli-Palestinian negotiations have finally been renewed. Even though the current round of talks is not direct, the parties are dealing with the core issues with the goal of reaching a permanent status agreement at some point. According to news reports, the first topics on the agenda are borders and security arrangements, both of which will rapidly lead to negotiations on Jerusalem and refugees. » Read more

Makhoul to be indicted this week ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Yaakov Lappin - May 25, 2010 - 12:00am Amir Makhoul and Omar Said, who are suspected of spying for Hizbullah and conspiring with enemy agents, will be indicted this week, Army Radio reported Tuesday. Makhoul's brother, former MK Issam Makhoul requested the gag order on the case be lifted, as he believes the investigation itself to be illegal. Makhoul's remand has been extended until Friday. Amir Makhoul was arrested on May 6 and Omar Said was taken into custody on April 24, security services said. » Read more

Minister Shalom: Gov't may sanction PA over boycott ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Atilla Somfalvi - May 25, 2010 - 12:00am Vice Prime Minister and Minister for the Development of the Negev and the Galilee Silvan Shalom threatened Tuesday to impose sanctions on the Palestinian Authority for its organized boycott of Israeli products, which consists of a ban on all products made in settlements and a prohibition against working in Israeli factories in the West Bank. » Read more

Officer accused of killing Naalin boy ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Eli Senyor - May 25, 2010 - 12:00am The Ramla Magistrates' Court was handed an indictment against a former Border Guard officer Tuesday, accusing him of causing death of an 11-year old boy during an anti-fence protest in Naalin in 2008. The indictment charges the officer, Omri Abu, with causing death by negligence. It says he shot live fire in the direction of the boy, Ahmed Moussa, and a group of protestors without justification and in total violation of IDF guidelines. » Read more

Zionists are not settlers. Zionists are not racists ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Eldad Yaniv - May 25, 2010 - 12:00am Israel Harel unsheathed the doomsday weapon that the right wing reserves for use when it feels threatened, in his article "Zionists are not tattletales" on this page on May 20. When Israeli patriots stand up and seek to end the occupation, with or without an agreement, and to establish an exemplary society here, that is when the right attacks. » Read more

It's not too late for Israel to make peace ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Yoel Marcus - May 25, 2010 - 12:00am Maybe it's a coincidence, but the day on which the massive Home Front drill began marked the 10th anniversary of Israel's hasty retreat from Lebanon, after 1,216 fatalities and a bitter taste of failure. That wretched war had many names, but most of all it was called "the war of deceit," because the cabinet was led astray. Those who led us to war promised a 48-hour operation but ended up going all the way to Beirut. The war, in its different phases, lasted 18 years. » Read more

Court rejects settlers appeal to stay in East Jerusalem building ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Nir Hasson - May 25, 2010 - 12:00am The Jerusalem District Court on Tuesday rejected an appeal to overturn an order to seal off a building in the heart of East Jerusalem in which a handful of Jewish families have settled. The Jerusalem municipality ordered the contentious Beit Yehonatan building, named for convicted spy Jonathan Pollard, to be sealed off and evacuated as it was constructed without a legal permit. » Read more