October 5th

No realistic chance of permanent Middle East peace ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Shlomo Avineri - October 5, 2011 - 12:00am In his speech to the UN General Assembly, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas once again made a common Palestinian mistake: a Palestinian leader does not have to persuade the nations of the world, but rather the Israelis. A Palestinian state will arise only if the Palestinians convince the Israelis that they are indeed ready to live in peace and mutual recognition. Egyptian President Anwar Sadat was able to do so with his historic speech to the Knesset, which turned him in the blink of an eye from a bitter and cruel enemy to the most popular figure in Israel. » Read more

Rabbis’ love for Israel: Is it a generational thing? ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA) by Dan Klein - (Analysis) October 4, 2011 - 12:00am Do Conservative rabbis become more politically conservative on Israel as they grow older, or are older rabbis simply more right wing than younger rabbis when it comes to Israel? A new study by the Conservative movement’s flagship institution presents some evidence of a generational gap among rabbis, finding that older ones tend to identify more closely with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, while younger ones also favorably view J Street, the more liberal “pro-Israel, pro-peace” lobbying group. » Read more

US says Israel, PA support new Quartet approach to talks ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Herb Keinon - (Analysis) October 4, 2011 - 12:00am In an apparent effort to keep the most recent Quartet initiative alive, the US embassy circulated a statement on Tuesday giving the impression both Israel and the Palestinians have equally accepted a Quartet framework for returning to direct talks, though the Palestinians have not yet formally endorsed the idea. Under the proposal, Israel and the Palestinians are supposed to sit down for a preparatory meeting by October 23, or two weeks from Sunday. » Read more

Palestinians accost US delegation in West Bank ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Statesman by Mohammed Daraghmeh - (Analysis) October 4, 2011 - 12:00am A small crowd of Palestinian protesters accosted an American diplomatic delegation visiting the West Bank Tuesday, blocking a convoy of vehicles, chanting "shame on you" and hurling a shoe — a deeply insulting gesture in Arab culture. The Americans, including employees of the consulate in Jerusalem, were on their way to a U.S. reception in town of Ramallah meant to reaffirm cultural and educational ties with the Palestinians. » Read more

Palestinian lawyers affirm essential role of PLO at UN ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency October 5, 2011 - 12:00am As the Security Council considers Palestine's application for full membership of the United Nations, Palestinian lawyers, jurists and legal scholars have signed a joint statement expressing concern over the bid's implications for Palestinians' rights. » Read more

Palestinians say Israeli prison hunger strike grows ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Alertnet by Nidal al-Mughrabi, Ali Sawafta - (Analysis) October 5, 2011 - 12:00am Hundreds of Palestinians in Israeli jails have joined a hunger strike to protest against worsening prison conditions, the Palestinian minister for prisoner affairs said on Monday. Issa Qaraqea told Reuters that some 500 prisoners in Israeli jails were refusing to eat, rapidly swelling the ranks of the protest which began last week. The strike was called after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu toughened restrictions on Palestinian prisoners as part of an effort to force the Islamist group Hamas to free a kidnapped Israeli soldier. » Read more

GOP candidates show more loyalty to a foreign country (Israel) than their own ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Christian Science Monitor by Walter Rodgers - October 4, 2011 - 12:00am It is disconcerting to see the foreign-policy traps that Republican presidential candidates set for themselves, especially when it comes to Israel and the Middle East. They do a disservice to the United States by trying to bind a sitting American president to the policies of a foreign government, specifically to the policies of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. » Read more

Abbas on charm offensive to push UN bid ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency October 5, 2011 - 12:00am RAMALLAH (AFP) -- President Mahmoud Abbas flew to Europe on Tuesday to kick off a week-long tour which will also take him to Latin America to shore up support for his UN membership bid. The UN membership request, which Abbas formally presented to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Sept. 23, is being studied by the 15-member Security Council, which is expected to vote on it in the coming weeks. The move is strongly opposed by both Israel and the United States, which say a Palestinian state can only emerge through bilateral negotiations. » Read more

Israel's tent protests transition to next stage: political fight ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Christian Science Monitor by Joshua Mitnick - October 4, 2011 - 12:00am Some two months after sparking mass demonstrations across Israel, the social protest movement that rattled Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces an uncertain future as it transitions from the street to the political realm. The symbol of the protest movement, the tent encampment on Tel Aviv Rothschild Boulevard, was dismantled yesterday by police. Hours later, Mr. Netanyahu tried but failed to convince cabinet ministers to support a package of economic reforms inspired by the protestors. » Read more

October 4th

Why did PM greenlight Gilo housing project? ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Herb Keinon - (Analysis) October 4, 2011 - 12:00am A decision by the Interior Ministry in March 2010 during the visit of US Vice President Joe Biden to issue a tender for the construction of a new housing project in Jerusalem’s Ramat Shlomo neighborhood, which is over the Green Line, sparked a mini-crisis with the US and brought ties between the two countries to their lowest point in years. » Read more