Goodbye, Israeli democracy ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Asaf Gefen - (Opinion) November 29, 2011 - 1:00am Everyone talks about the "Arab Spring," yet nobody mentions the "Israeli Spring" – an exciting period where democracy’s horrific regime is finally drawing to an end around here, following a popular uprising at the Knesset cafeteria. If a few months ago it appeared that the Arab world is moving closer to Israel’s democratic model, now it turns out that Israel is the one quickly approaching the Saudi model. Finally, we joined the "Spring of Nations" - and so what if we are referring to the Belorussian, Afghani and North Korean peoples. » Read more

Prime Minister Fayyad: “Unity and Non-violence” Requisites for Statehood ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Media Line by Felice Friedson - (Interview) November 29, 2011 - 1:00am With skepticism rife over a Fatah-Hamas rapprochement and the Hamas demand to replace him, Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad, the man credited with energizing the movement toward statehood and the man Western governments want holding the PA’s purse strings, discusses the pending issues with Friedson Friedson, President and CEO of The Media Line news agency, at his Ramallah office. Below is the first of two sessions between Prime Minister Fayyad and Ms. Friedson. Friedson: Mr. Prime Minister, thank you for taking the opportunity to speak with me and The Media Line. » Read more

Further from peace, closer to reconciliation ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Gershon Baskin - (Opinion) November 29, 2011 - 1:00am Hamas and Fatah just ended another round of talks in Cairo on what they call reconciliation. Both sides are reporting that progress was made, but they have not yet reached the point of agreement on several key issues. In May of this year Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and Hamas politburo chief Khaled Mashaal signed an agreement orchestrated by Egyptian intelligence. Initially the deal was described as a landmark reconciliation pact aimed at ending their bitter four-year rift. » Read more

Israel needs its own freedom riders ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Khaled Diab - (Opinion) November 29, 2011 - 1:00am Following last week’s Palestinian “freedom ride,” it’s time for Israeli “freedom riders” to cross the psychological and physical barriers between the two peoples. Drawing inspiration from the American civil rights movement of the 1960s, a group of six Palestinians – dressed in emblematic Palestinian checkered keffiyehs and T-shirts emblazoned with the words “dignity,” “freedom” and “justice” boarded an Israeli bus en route from the West Bank to Jerusalem. » Read more

The right context ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Hassan Jabareen - (Opinion) November 29, 2011 - 1:00am The government frequently tries to justify its anti-democratic bills by comparing them to laws in democratic states. For example, it contends that the newly proposed bills regarding the nomination procedures for Supreme Court justices reflect the process used in the United States. » Read more

A battle is raging for the soul of Israeli society ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Associated Press by Amy Teibel - (Opinion) November 29, 2011 - 1:00am On billboards, on buses and in the halls of parliament, a battle is raging over the nature of Israel, raising ever more urgent questions over its future as a democracy. Radicalized religious activists and conservative lawmakers see themselves as bulwarks against assaults on faith and country by rivals within multifaceted Israel and by the outside world. » Read more

Arab Spring elections boost democracy, and Israeli fears ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Amos Harel, Avi Issacharoff - (Opinion) November 28, 2011 - 1:00am Egyptian parliamentary elections that begin Monday are expected to result in victory for an Islamic party - in this case, the one affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood As in the other election campaigns in the Middle East that have taken place since the Arab Spring, the Egyptian parliamentary elections that begin Monday are expected to result in victory for an Islamic party - in this case, the one affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood. » Read more

UN official urges greater support for Palestinian refugees ATFP World Press Roundup Article from United Nations News Service (Opinion) November 29, 2011 - 1:00am The head of the United Nations relief agency for Palestinian refugees today urged the international community to strengthen support for the refugees, particularly the youth who constitute an increasingly significant segment of the population. » Read more

A symptom of the occupation ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Bitterlemons by Ghassan Khatib - (Opinion) November 29, 2011 - 1:00am Israel's Knesset has recently intensified its consideration and approval of numerous laws that appear to compromise the democratic nature of Israel, while strengthening the right wing's control over various aspects of Israeli life. In light of this, Israel's media is full of analysis and opinion pieces written by those worried by this trend. They say it will both increase discrimination against Israel's Palestinian minority and narrow the space for freedom of expression and secular elements in Israel. » Read more

A surefire way to keep Israeli Arabs from voting ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Sefi Rachlevsky - November 29, 2011 - 1:00am Against the wave of anti-democratic legislation, the meaning of conservatism is turned around; refraining from action becomes active political cooperation with the trampling of democracy. » Read more