UK to upgrade Palestinian diplomatic status ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency March 7, 2011 - 1:00am Britain will upgrade the status of the Palestinian delegation to London to the level of a mission in line with a number of other EU countries, Foreign Secretary William Hague said on Monday. "Given the extent of our aid to the Palestinian Authority and our work with them, we will join many other countries in upgrading the status of the Palestinian delegation to London to the level of a mission," he told parliament. The decision puts Britain in line with fellow European Union members France, Ireland, Portugal and Spain. » Read more

PCBS: Palestinian women still 'marginal' in PA ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency March 8, 2011 - 1:00am Palestinian women are increasingly involved in political life, but their presentation as decision makers in the Palestinian Authority is still marginal, a study found. The Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics conducted the study to mark International Women's Day. The positions of president of the Stock Exchange Authority and governor for Ramallah and Al-Bireh are both held by women. The president of PCBS, Ola Awad, was the first female to head a non-ministerial governmental institution. » Read more

Zoabi versus bulldozers: Arabs being pushed into corner ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Hassan Shaalan - March 9, 2011 - 1:00am Hundreds of Arab and Jewish women protested Tuesday evening in Lod to mark International Women's Day and took advantage of the event to attack the police and local authorities for demolishing houses in the Arab sector. The demonstration was held under the banner "Strong women against the bulldozers", and received support from Knesset Member Hanin Zoabi (Balad). » Read more

IDF is preparing for mass civil uprising in West Bank ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Anshel Pfeffer - March 9, 2011 - 1:00am The Central Command and the Judea and Samaria Division of the Israel Defense Forces have been closely monitoring the recent events in Arab states and updating their operational plans for dealing with a potential popular, nonviolent uprising. Nearly a year ago the Judea and Samaria Division drew up a comprehensive program to combat large demonstrations in the West Bank, which is currently being adjusted in light of the popular revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt. » Read more

Settlers resume construction in Havat Gilad ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Yair Altman - March 9, 2011 - 1:00am A week after the razing of illegal structures which prompted a series of protests and "price tag" activities, demolished structures in Havat Gilad have been rebuilt. In addition, four new structures are being set up. Meanwhile, the government has pledged to demolish the buildings by the end of the year. "Our Zionist response to the destruction of the country is to build immediately, not just the razed structures but several other ones," Itay Zar, Havat Gilad founder said. » Read more

Settlers resume construction in Havat Gilad ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Yair Altman - March 9, 2011 - 1:00am A week after the razing of illegal structures which prompted a series of protests and "price tag" activities, demolished structures in Havat Gilad have been rebuilt. In addition, four new structures are being set up. Meanwhile, the government has pledged to demolish the buildings by the end of the year. "Our Zionist response to the destruction of the country is to build immediately, not just the razed structures but several other ones," Itay Zar, Havat Gilad founder said. » Read more

Moussa says he would maintain Egypt's peace with Israel ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post March 9, 2011 - 1:00am Outgoing Arab League chief and Egyptian presidential hopeful Amr Moussa on Tuesday suggested that he would maintain the peace treaty with Israel if he were to win in elections later this year, The Associated Press reported. "We as Egyptians have a responsibility to lay the foundations for peace...We cannot rebuild Egypt ... while adopting an adventurous foreign policy," he said, adding "we would be kidding ourselves" if Egyptians didn't recognize Israel as a state. Moussa added, however, that he would reconsider the terms of a deal by which Egypt supplies Israel with natural gas. » Read more

World looks at Israel as it looked at Apartheid-era South Africa ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Niva Lanir - (Editorial) March 9, 2011 - 1:00am Whether or not Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu uses "a supertanker against the bureaucracy," as he calls it, to alleviate the housing shortage, a no-fly zone for supertankers already exists. It exists whether his idea crashes in the Knesset debates on housing reforms, or flies high above the railway line that's supposed to be extended to Irbid in Jordan - in the East, where there are no procedures or bureaucracy. » Read more

Gould says UK won't yet recognize Palestinian state ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Greer Fay Cashman - March 9, 2011 - 1:00am British Ambassador Matthew Gould on Tuesday night attempted to dispel fears that the UK is moving towards recognizing Palestine as a free and independent state. Gould was speaking at a meeting of Europeans for Israel that was conducted in the Jewish Agency headquarters in Jerusalem. He is the first ever British Ambassador to visit the Jewish Agency, he said. During the Mandate period the Jewish Agency was the strategic core of Jewish resistance against the British. » Read more

Specialized radio station promotes rights of Palestinian women ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua by Hamada al-Hattab, Ahmed Fayoomi - March 9, 2011 - 1:00am On March 8 the International Women's day, Women FM, a new radio station based in Ramallah in the West Bank, is broadcasting special programs on Palestinian women's situation to celebrate the day. Women FM, which had its first broadcast last July and broadcasts programs on Palestinian women's position and the difficulties they are facing in the society, is the first Arab language radio station in the Middle East of its kind to defend women's rights. » Read more