Israeli civil society, democracy and political change ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Bitterlemons by Naomi Chazan - (Opinion) March 17, 2011 - 12:00am At precisely the same time that civil society has emerged as the catalyst in democratically-driven upheavals in the Arab world, Israel's civil society is increasingly threatened. There is a direct correlation between the rising centrality of civil society as the locus of opposition to government policies and the intensified efforts of neo-nationalist groups to curtail its activities. » Read more

Fayyad calls on Hamas to accept Abbas' initiative ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Agence France Presse (AFP) March 18, 2011 - 12:00am Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad Thursday urged Hamas to accept President Mahmoud Abbas’ initiative for reconciliation, Palestinian media reported. Abbas said Wednesday he was “ready to go to Gaza tomorrow” to end the division between Fatah and Hamas, after the Islamist group’s prime minister in Gaza, Ismail Haniyeh, urged “immediate” talks. Abbas also said he wanted to “form a government of independent national figures to start preparing for … polls within six months.” » Read more

Regional upheaval may facilitate peace now for Palestine ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Daily Star by Marwan Muasher, Javier Solana - (Opinion) March 18, 2011 - 12:00am As revolutionary change sweeps across the Arab world, it is easy to think that now is not the time to push for peace between Israel and Palestine. Until the dust settles on the new Middle East, the old road maps seem dated, and conventional wisdom holds that to expect that progress toward a peace agreement can take place in the context of regional upheavals is an example of wishful thinking. But the opposite is true. Even with so many failed efforts in the past, there is a clear window of opportunity for the United States and Israel to urgently push for a lasting settlement. » Read more

Gay Community Faces Rift Over Cancellation of a Pro-Palestinian Fundraiser ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jewish Daily Forward by Nathan Guttman - March 17, 2011 - 12:00am They’ve long faced off on college campuses and in the media, and now Israel’s supporters and detractors are in a pitched battle for the hearts and minds of the gay and lesbian community. This fight bubbled over earlier in March when New York’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center canceled a pro-Palestinian group’s event for which the center had rented its space. The cancellation followed complaints from supporters of Israel within the gay community. » Read more

US Senators urge EU to keep Hamas on terror list ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Hilary Leila Krieger - March 17, 2011 - 12:00am US Senators sent a letter to the EU Thursday urging that Hamas not be taken off its terror list following The Jerusalem Post’s report that the PA was lobbying for such a change. “We urge you to encourage the Palestinian Authority to put more pressure on Hamas to renounce violence, recognize the Jewish State of Israel and accept all prior agreements, rather than pursuing diplomatic schemes that undermine the peace process,” stated the letter. It was co-authored by Mark Kirk (R-Illinois) and Bill Nelson (D-Florida), and signed by 14 other colleagues from both sides of the aisle. » Read more

4 mortar shells fired from Gaza hit western Negev ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post March 18, 2011 - 12:00am Four mortar shells fired from the Gaza Strip landed in the western Negev early Friday afternoon. The projectiles landed in open areas, causing no casualties or damage.

Peace with our enemies ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Eitan Haber - (Opinion) March 17, 2011 - 12:00am The instinctive reaction of almost every Israeli citizen following the shocking murder of the Fogel family was along the lines of “so you want to sign an agreement with the Palestinians? You want to make peace with these people?” After all, even Israelis who usually avoid swearwords must have hurled curses at our neighbors the other day. » Read more

Palestinian 'price tag' victim recounts attack ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Elior Levy - March 17, 2011 - 12:00am "I was walking to work as usual when eight young, masked settlers armed with clubs began hitting me in the head and legs," Palestinian construction worker Sami Snobar recalled from his hospital bed Thursday. Snobar was one of two Palestinians who were attacked in the West Bank settlement of Shiloh Thursday morning, in what police suspect was a "price tag" act carried out to avenge the massacre in Itamar. "They sprayed my face with pepper spray – it burned and my face turned red," he said. "Then one of them picked up a brick and struck (my head) with it." » Read more

A funeral for the State of Israel ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Bradley Burston - (Blog) March 17, 2011 - 12:00am All this week I've resisted putting something terrible into words. All this week I've been wondering why the Jerusalem burial ceremony for Ruth and Udi Fogel, their infant daughter Hadas and their two small sons Yoav and Elad, seemed so much like a funeral for the State of Israel itself. » Read more

Israel's right sees Arab essence in terrorists ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Akiva Eldar - (Opinion) March 18, 2011 - 12:00am The recent murders in Itamar reminded me of the story of the SS soldier, the postwoman's "good boy" in Hans Fallada's novel "Alone in Berlin," who boasts of a photo in which he is seen banging the head of a 3-year-old Jewish child against the bumper of a car. I was reminded of it once again the next day, when I read in the newspaper that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had accepted German Chancellor Angela Merkel's invitation for a "reconciliation visit" to Berlin next month. » Read more