Concerns over rising settler violence in the West Bank ATFP World Press Roundup Article from BBC World News by Jon Donnison - November 17, 2011 - 1:00am "These trees are holy to me. They're so old you can't put a value on them," says Nidam Qaraweq, a Palestinian olive farmer from the West Bank village of Awarta. He pokes at the blackened, and gnarled trunks which are hundreds of years old. A large piece of what is now charcoal breaks off in his hand. "They're all dead," he says angrily. Last month, around 20 of Mr Qaraweq's olive trees were destroyed by fire. He says Jewish settlers from the adjacent settlement of Itamar deliberately set his fields alight in an arson attack. » Read more

Israel Faces Chill Wind From Europe, Central Banker Warns ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Media Line by David Rosenberg - November 16, 2011 - 1:00am For the second time in three years Israel’s economy is threatened with the prospect of being pushed into a slowdown or even a recession not of its own making, prompting Bank of Israel Governor Stanley Fischer to warn the government against boosting spending or raising taxes. » Read more

Suha Arafat: I never took money from Palestine ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Roee Nahmias - November 17, 2011 - 1:00am I didn't take money from Palestine, says Suha Arafat, the widow of former Chairman of the Palestinian Authority and the PLO Yasser Arafat. Speaking in an interview with Egyptian journalist Wael Al Abrashi she said, "I didn’t take lands from the state of Palestine." » Read more

Erekat: Reports of secret deal to release revenue 'nonsense' ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency November 17, 2011 - 1:00am PLO official Saeb Erekat on Thursday dismissed reports that the Palestinian Authority offered to stop trying to join UN agencies if Israel lifted its block on tax transfers. The Israeli daily Haaretz reported Thursday that the PA offered to stop trying to join international agencies and pledged not to seek any upgrade to its UN status if Israel released money it owes the PA. Israel has refused to transfer tax revenues owed to the PA -- amounting to around $100 million each month -- since UNESCO, the UN cultural agency, voted to admit Palestine. » Read more

Israeli lawmaker: Palestinian journalist for Iranian TV 'enemy agent' ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Los Angeles Times by Batsheva Sobelman - November 17, 2011 - 1:00am Is he a journalist providing Iranians with news, or an agent transmitting information to the enemy? Ibrahim Husseini is hardly a covert operator -- the entire audience of the English-language PressTV in Iran knows he's in Israel. However, the channel, which is run by the Iranian government and not readily accessible in Israel, is apparently not that popular with Israeli politicians. » Read more

European diplomat: Palestinians willing to freeze UN bid if Israel, U.S. resume funds ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Barak Ravid - November 17, 2011 - 1:00am The Palestinian Authority has offered the United States a deal, saying it would freeze all moves to achieve full membership for "Palestine" in various UN agencies until the end of January, a European diplomat said, while the United States and Israel would resume transferring it funds. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's special envoy Isaac Molho met secretly in London on Tuesday with U.S. administration representatives David Hale and Dennis Ross to discuss the suggestion. » Read more

Israel blames Abbas for choosing Hamas over peace. Is he? ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Christian Science Monitor by Joshua Mitnick - November 17, 2011 - 1:00am Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas is reaching out to rival Hamas in a renewed bid for unity after his campaign for United Nations membership failed in the Security Council last week. Mr. Abbas is reportedly pushing to set a May 2012 date for Palestinian elections – the first such vote in five years – and will bow to Hamas demands for the resignation of Prime Minister Salam Fayyad so an interim unity cabinet can be appointed. » Read more

Palestinian Authority president to meet Hamas leader next week ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Los Angeles Times by Maher Abukhater - November 16, 2011 - 1:00am Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas said Wednesday that he plans to meet Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal next week, a move bound to upset Israel and the U.S. The meeting, which is expected to take place in Cairo, will include discussion of the reconciliation agreement that rival factions Fatah and Hamas signed in May, which was supposed to set the ground for reuniting the West Bank and Gaza Strip under one leadership. » Read more

Israel Allows a Rare Shipment of Construction Materials to Gaza ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Associated Press November 17, 2011 - 1:00am Israel allowed the first truckloads of a rare shipment of construction materials into Gaza on Wednesday to permit the reconstruction of 10 privately owned factories, the Israeli military and Palestinian officials said. Until now, only international projects were allowed to import such materials, which Israel restricts because of concerns they could be used by militants who launch rockets at Israeli towns. Gaza, which is ruled by the militant group Hamas, is subject to an Israeli blockade that has been eased but includes restrictions on the movement of goods and people. » Read more