Palestinian, Israeli activists launch campaign against settlement transportation ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Al-Arabiya by Amjad Samhan - (Analysis) November 15, 2011 - 1:00am Dozens of Palestinian and Israeli activists are gearing up for the launch on Tuesday of a campaign against transportation companies that serve settlements in the West Bank in protest of the continuation of the occupation and the construction of more units in the Occupied Territories. The campaign aims at obstructing means of transportation affiliated to Egged and Veolia, two Israeli public transportation companies that transfer Jewish settlers from the West Bank to East Jerusalem and Israel. » Read more

Why sincerity of Israeli leader is doubted ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Independent by Donald MacIntyre - (Opinion) November 15, 2011 - 1:00am Exactly what Nicolas Sarkozy meant by describing Benjamin Netanyahu as a "liar" is not immediately clear, and the French President is unlikely to prolong the episode by explaining it. But it is safe to assume that Mr Sarkozy has become increasingly unconvinced of Mr Netanyahu's sincerity in saying he is willing to negotiate a two-state solution with the Palestinians. By insisting the Palestinians recognise Israel as a "Jewish state" and by resuming a surge in Jewish settlement building, Mr Netanyahu has given no sign that he envisages the minimum deal the Palestinians could accept. » Read more

Both sides would suffer ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Bitterlemons by Yossi Beilin - (Opinion) November 15, 2011 - 1:00am The Palestinian Authority was supposed to cease existing on May 4, 1999, the date a final status agreement was to take effect. Of course, that never happened. In the absence of any alternative agreement, the PA could remain in existence until final status is agreed or, indeed, until the end of time (whichever comes first. . .). » Read more

Egypt nabs suspect believed linked to Eilat attack ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Oren Kessler, Reuters - (Analysis) November 13, 2011 - 1:00am Egyptian authorities arrested a top member of an Islamist terror group suspected of involvement in pipeline bombings that have disrupted gas supplies to Israel and Jordan, Egyptian state media reported on Sunday. The Palestinian news agency Ma'an reported that the detainee, Mohammed al-Teehi, was also being investigated for an August terror attack in southern Israel that killed eight people. Teehi, of the armed Islamist group Al-Takfir Wa Al-Hijra (Excommunication and Exodus), was arrested in the northern coastal city of El-Arish, Egypt's news agency MENA reported. » Read more

Simply not an option ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Bitterlemons by Ghassan Khatib - (Opinion) November 15, 2011 - 1:00am The recent speculation about the future of the Palestinian Authority, including its possible dissolution, arose as a result of discussions in Fateh's Central Committee meeting two weeks ago. These discussions were not about dissolving the Palestinian Authority per se, but about the future of the governing body that has grown into numerous agencies and employs nearly 200,000 people. Fateh's leadership sought to address the fact that the difficulty of transforming this transitional Palestinian Authority into a state has produced an uncomfortable--and even untenable--status quo. » Read more

Gaza first ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Bitterlemons by Yossi Alpher - (Opinion) November 15, 2011 - 1:00am About half a year ago, I and several colleagues spent two hours conversing and dining with Palestine Liberation Organization Chairman and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah. One of the questions we asked him concerned his options in the event the Palestinian statehood bid at the United Nations failed--or for that matter, if it succeeded but Israel refused to honor it. » Read more

Israeli lawmakers push ahead contentious bills ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press by Amy Teibel - (Analysis) November 15, 2011 - 1:00am At the end of a stormy debate, Israeli lawmakers pushed ahead two bills that critics say would threaten the independence of the country's Supreme Court, just days after Cabinet ministers advanced another proposal to sharply limit funding for dovish groups. Opponents say both developments reflect attempts by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government to stifle dissent and pluralism. Netanyahu himself was absent from the parliament vote on Monday, which dominated newspapers headlines and radio talk shows. » Read more

Time for Israel to stop politicising Palestinian cash ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The National (Editorial) November 15, 2011 - 1:00am As Israel continues to tighten the screws on Palestinians and Israeli Arabs, it also continues to earn itself unpleasant headlines around the world. That may be one reason why the latest such move, to limit and tax certain foreign grants to civil-society groups within Israel, has now been deferred. But the measures still have strong support in Israel's conservative cabinet and are far from dead. » Read more

IDF chief: Gaza violence may lead to significant military action ATFP World Press Roundup Article from by Jonathan Lis - (Analysis) November 15, 2011 - 1:00am Recent bouts of violence along Israel's border with the Gaza Strip are leading toward significant and offensive military action in the coastal enclave, Israel Defense Forces chief Benny Gantz said on Tuesday, adding that there was still a chance for a flare-up of West Bank violence over the Palestinian statehood bid at the United Nations. Gantz's comments came just 24 hours following the latest confrontation along the Gaza border, as Israel Air Force planes carried out a strike early Monday after Palestinian militants in Hamas-run Gaza fired a rocket at southern Israel. » Read more

Sarko said, Obama said—but what does it all mean? ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA) by Ron Kampeas - (Opinion) November 14, 2011 - 1:00am Does Nicolas Sarkozy really hate Benjamin Netanyahu? Does President Obama really sympathize? And does it really matter? The fleeting, private exchange between the French and U.S. presidents at a summit in Cannes, France, made international headlines, and its meaning is still being parsed by political pundits and pro-Israel activists. » Read more