December 23rd

ACP donates $27,000 to St. John's Eye Hospital in Jerusalem ATFP World Press Roundup Article from American Charities for Palestine December 22, 2011 - 1:00am Press Release FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 22, 2011 - 4:00pm ACP is pleased to be able to update you on theOperation Restore Vision in Palestine project which our partner, St. John’s Eye Hospital in Jerusalem (SJEH), is implementing on the ground. » Read more

AP Interview: Hamas leader touts new focus on popular protests, does not renounce violence ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press (Interview) December 23, 2011 - 1:00am CAIRO — Hamas will focus on a strategy of holding mass protests against Israel in the style of the Arab Spring, although it is not renouncing the use of violence against the Jewish state, the Islamic group’s leader, Khaled Mashaal, told The Associated Press late Thursday. Mashaal was in Cairo for reconciliation talks with Hamas’ rival, President Mahmoud Abbas of Fatah. The sides agreed that Hamas would join the Palestine Liberation Organization, led by Abbas, and allow elections to go ahead in Gaza and the West Bank in 2012. » Read more

Hamas considers shift to non-violent resistance, relocation to Egypt ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Al-Masry Al-Youm by Nadine Marroushi - December 22, 2011 - 1:00am The Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas, is adopting a popular, non-violent resistance strategy in a move aimed at gaining international recognition and support. The group is under internal and external pressure to change tactics after being isolated by ongoing revolutions in Egypt, Syria and elsewhere. » Read more

Abbas in a stronger position with Hamas in PLO ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Khaled Abu Toameh, Herb Keinon - December 23, 2011 - 1:00am Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas will be in a stronger position to deal with Israel and the United States if Hamas joins the PLO, a senior Hamas official told pan-Arab London-based newspaper Asharq Alawsat Saturday. According to the source, who spoke to Asharq Alaqsat following productive meetings between Palestinian factions aiming to "activate" the reconstruction of of a unity Palestinian government, reconciliation of Hamas with the PA would see Abbas become president of a more united Palestinian people, instead of just a segment of it in the West Bank. » Read more

UNESCO cuts funds for Palestinian magazine ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press by Matti Friedman - December 23, 2011 - 1:00am JERUSALEM — The U.N.'s cultural agency said Friday it is pulling funding for a Palestinian youth magazine that published an article suggesting admiration for Hitler. The magazine, Zayzafouna, published an article in February written by a teenage girl who presented four role models: a medieval Persian mathematician, a modern Egyptian novelist, the Muslim warrior Saladin, and the Nazi leader. » Read more

Officials say PNI joined PLO at Cairo talks ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency December 23, 2011 - 1:00am Officials from Islamic Jihad and the Palestinian National Initiative said late Thursday that they had accepted positions on an "interim leadership" of the PLO. Ayed Yaghi, a PNI leader, said the small faction joined the PLO and that it was a natural position to take. Yaghi told Ma’an that Thursday's talks in Cairo marked a milestone in the history of the Palestinian people. He pointed out that the PNI had previously submitted a request to join the PLO in 2004. » Read more

Jerusalem mayor intends to contour city border along security barrier ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua December 23, 2011 - 1:00am Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat is considering a number of plans that would largely shift the city's meandering eastern municipal boundary to more closely follow the security barrier abutting largely Palestinian-populated areas, the city said on Thursday. A statement sent to Xinhua said the plan would limit municipal services to areas west of the security barrier, and leave areas on the eastern side to be dealt with by the Civil Administration (CA), an army entity that sees to the daily needs of the Palestinian population in the West Bank. » Read more

Jihad official: PLO membership not final ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency December 23, 2011 - 1:00am An Islamic Jihad leader said Thursday that joining an "interim leadership framework" of the PLO did not necessarily mean it had formally joined the Palestinian body. Khaled Al-Batsh told Ma’an that joining the organization requires a clear framework for how the PLO will be restructured. He added that if there was an agreement concerning these issues, Islamic Jihad would become a member in the organization. However, if there was no agreement, the group said it was still willing to contribute. » Read more

Hamas says it plans to join Fatah-dominated PLO ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters December 23, 2011 - 1:00am Rival Palestinian factions took a significant step towards reconciliation Thursday as the Islamist group Hamas said it planned to join President Mahmoud Abbas's Palestine Liberation Organization. Abbas held a meeting in Cairo with leaders from the factions, including Hamas chief Khalid Mashaal, where a committee was formed to prepare for the inclusion of Hamas, as well as the smaller Islamic Jihad, in the PLO. There are still some serious obstacles that could prevent a final unity deal and attempts to reconcile in the past have failed. » Read more

US earmarks $235 million for Israel's defense systems ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Yitzhak Benhorin - December 22, 2011 - 1:00am WASHINGTON – The Unites States has announced it will allocate $235 million for the development of safeguards against rockets and missiles that could be launched towards Israel by Hezbollah and Iran. A large part of the funds will go towards the development of the David's Sling system, designed to intercept medium- to long-range rockets and cruise missiles, and the Arrow 2 and 3 systems against long-range ballistic missiles. This unprecedented sum comes at an unexpected time, while the American government is dealing with large budget cuts, including at the Pentagon. » Read more