March 16th

New Jerusalem bill circulating House ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA) March 16, 2011 - 12:00am Top Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives are circulating a bill that would strip the president of his power to waive a law requiring him to move the embassy to Jerusalem. The bill, launched March 10 and sponsored by Rep. Dan Burton (R-Ind.), the chairman of the House's Europe Subcommittee, is also backed by Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.), the chairwoman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and Rep. Steve Chabot (R-Ohio), the chairman of the House Middle East Subcommittee -- all but guaranteeing its passage in the Foreign Affairs Committee and referral to the full House. » Read more

PM says IDF to build fence along Jordan border ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Ilana Curiel - March 15, 2011 - 12:00am During a tour of the fence that is being constructed along Israel's border with Egypt on Tuesday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had instructed the IDF to begin planning the construction of another fence along the border with Jordan. "We will have to build a fence in the east as well, because if we block one border they will come from the Arava," he later told the Negev Conference in Eilat. » Read more

Israel punishes itself ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Nahum Barnea - (Opinion) March 15, 2011 - 12:00am The government approved Sunday the construction of 400 housing units in Judea and Samaria in response to the murder in Itamar. Why Only 400, wondered Eli Yishai. We need to build 5,000 units, a thousand for each murder victim. To a certain extent, Yishai is right. If the proper response to the despicable murder of the Fogel family is settlement expansion, 400 is a rather pathetic number. It does not reflect the shock, repugnance and fury. It offers no comfort. At most, it serves as an attempt to calm the hard core among the settlers with a real estate pill. » Read more

'Jenin, Jenin' gets Hebrew U. campus screening despite ban ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Asaf Shtull-Trauring - March 16, 2011 - 12:00am Organizers of students' Hadash party branch at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem screened the controversial film "Jenin, Jenin" at a Hadash-sponsored event on the university's Mount Scopus campus last night, although the university had prohibited the screening. However, 10 minutes before the end of the film, university security personnel cut the electricity to the hall. » Read more

France says EU recognition of Palestinian state a 'possibility' ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz March 15, 2011 - 12:00am French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe said Tuesday that European Union recognition of a Palestinian state could be a "possibility that should be kept in mind," according to AFP. "There's no point recognizing the Palestinian state on our own. It must be done together," AFP quoted Juppe as saying about recognition by EU countries. "Personally we're not there yet, I think that it's a possibility that should be kept in mind," he said. » Read more

Barak must join opposition to save Israel from disaster ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Aluf Benn - (Opinion) March 16, 2011 - 12:00am Defense Minister Ehud Barak is a brave man, not only in his operations from the days of the reconnaissance unit, or in his proposal at Camp David to divide Jerusalem. He is also brave in his willingness to stand apart from the choir and say unpopular things on days of terror attacks and mourning. A few hours after the funerals of the Fogel family from Itamar, on Sunday, Barak gave a lecture at the Institute for National Security Studies. » Read more

Jordan urges for two-state solution to end Palestinian-Israel conflicts ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua March 15, 2011 - 12:00am Jordan on Tuesday called on the international community to pressure the Israeli government to achieve the two-state solution by the end of September. Stressing that developments in the region should not deviate attention away from the Palestinian issue, which is the core issue in the region, Jordanian Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh said Tuesday that continued Israeli settlement activities threaten the two-state solution. » Read more

Uruguay officially recognizes Palestinian State ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua March 15, 2011 - 12:00am The government of Uruguay on Tuesday announced its official recognition of the Palestinian State as an independent and sovereign country, and reaffirmed its commitment to the Middle East peace process, the Uruguayan Foreign Ministry said. "The reasons for this decision are not any other than Uruguay's strong commitment to the peace process," the ministry said in a statement, expressing Uruguay's wish for the Palestinian and Israeli people to live and "co-exist in peace." This decision "is also the result of the progressive strengthening of » Read more

Hamas welcomes Abbas' readiness to visit Gaza ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua March 16, 2011 - 12:00am Islamic Hamas movement on Wednesday welcomed Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' declaration that he would go to the Gaza Strip to work at ending political split. "Hamas welcomes Mr. Abbas' response to Mr. Ismail Haneya's call to visit Gaza," Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said. "Hamas will follow preparations for this visit," Abu Zuhri told Xinhua. Earlier on Wednesday, Abbas said he is ready to go to the Gaza Strip in translating of public desire to end split between Gaza and the West Bank. » Read more

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas says he's not going to run for re-election ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Associated Press March 16, 2011 - 12:00am Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas says he's not going to run for re-election.