April 18th

Israeli boy Daniel Viflic dies after rocket hits bus ATFP World Press Roundup Article from BBC News April 18, 2011 - 12:00am Daniel Viflic, 16, was on a school bus in southern Israel on 7 April when it was hit by an anti-tank missile fired from the Gaza Strip. The driver was slightly hurt in the attack, which happened just after the other children had been dropped off. Nineteen Palestinians died in the ensuing wave of Israeli air strikes and Palestinian counter-attacks. It was the most serious violence since Israel's conflict with Hamas in Gaza in December 2008 and January 2009. About 1,400 Palestinians, more than half of them civilians, and 13 Israelis, including 10 soldiers, were killed.

‘Irvine 11’ plead not guilty in Oren incident ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA) by Marcy Oster - April 17, 2011 - 12:00am Eleven Muslim students arrested for disrupting a speech by Israeli U.S. Ambassador Michael Oren at the University of California, Irvine pleaded not guilty to misdemeanor charges. The students were arraigned April 15 in Orange County Superior Court on charges of conspiracy to disturb a meeting and misdemeanor disturbance of a meeting. » Read more

Hamas's ability to control radical groups in question ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The National by Hugh Naylor - April 18, 2011 - 12:00am The murder of an Italian activist in Gaza last week has raised questions about the capability of Hamas to control radical groups, some with suspected links to al Qa'eda, operating in the Palestinian territory. Vittorio Arrigoni, 36, part of the pro-Palestinian International Solidarity Movement, was found dead in an empty apartment building in Gaza City. An al Qa'eda-inspired group calling itself Tawhid and Jihad released a video of his kidnapping on Thursday and is widely believed to have carried out the murder. » Read more

Washington Committed to Middle East Peace Process- US Officials ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Asharq Alawsat by Mina Al-Oraibi - (Opinion) November 16, 2009 - 1:00am Many questions are being asked whether it is possible to resume peace negotiations in the Middle East that can achieve real and concrete results after the peace process has been faltering over the past few months. A total of 10 months have passed since US President Barack Obama announced his determination to bring peace to the Middle East on his first day in the White House. However, there have been no indications that such a peace would be reached. » Read more

America’s Partnership with the Arab People ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Dar Al-Hayat by Raghida Dergham - (Opinion) April 15, 2011 - 12:00am The Barack Obama Administration has drafted the features of its new strategic policy resulting from the “Arab Spring” with an effaceable pencil, as it is still at the stage of reacting and responding to events. There is not yet what would be called a “blueprint” for a strategic framework for broad American policy towards the Middle East, since ‘using permanent ink’ would tie down the hands of President Barack Obama at a time when he needs flexibility for electoral reasons. » Read more

The Goldstone reversal ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jordan Times by Aryeh Neier - (Opinion) April 18, 2011 - 12:00am Justice Richard Goldstone was condemned by many apologists for Israel’s human rights record for his conclusion that Israel intentionally targeted Palestinian civilians as a matter of policy during the 2008-9 Gaza war. Goldstone’s United Nations-backed report accused both Israelis and Palestinians of war crimes, and called on both sides to investigate, prosecute and punish their own personnel. » Read more

Goldstone, the person and the process ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Daily Star by Rami Khouri - (Opinion) April 16, 2011 - 12:00am Controversy is good, if it helps to promote truth and justice, and this is what we have now in relation to the 2010 “Goldstone Report” about the conduct of Israel and Hamas during the 2008-09 Gaza war. It continues to generate fresh controversy in light of recent statements by the four members of the original fact-finding commission established by the U.N. Human Rights Council (UNHRC). » Read more

How Israel is becoming a settler state ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Arab News by Uri Avnery - (Opinion) April 17, 2011 - 12:00am THE OTHER day, the almighty General Security Service (Shabak, formerly Shin Bet) needed a new boss. It is a hugely important job, because no minister ever dares to contradict the advice of the Shabak chief in Cabinet meetings. There was an obvious candidate, known only as J. But at the last moment, the settlers' lobby was mobilized. As director of the "Jewish department" J. had put some Jewish terrorists in prison. So his candidature was rejected and Yoram Cohen, a kippah-wearing darling of the settlers was appointed instead. » Read more

April 15th

Religious Leaders Urge Presidential Leadership for Arab-Israeli-Palestinian Peace ATFP World Press Roundup Article from April 14, 2011 - 12:00am In response to the launching of a new Israeli Peace Initiative by former Israeli government, intelligence and security officials, leaders of twenty-five Jewish, Christian and Muslim national religious organizations wrote to President Obama saying that they believe “this initiative, the earlier Arab Peace Initiative and the Geneva Accord, taken together, offer key principles and ideas for comprehensive Arab-Israeli-Palestinian peace.” (Letter and endorsers attached.) » Read more

Accept with minor "interpretations" ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Bitterlemons by Yossi Alpher - (Opinion) April 13, 2011 - 12:00am There is a certain formalistic justification in Israel's standoffish attitude toward the Arab Peace Initiative. After all, the API was never seriously "marketed" to Israel. The concluding paragraph of the API asks every relevant institution in the international community to "pursue the necessary contacts to gain support for this initiative"--everyone, that is, except Israel itself, the target of the initiative. At one point a few years ago, in response to protest over this lacuna, the Arab League sent the Egyptian and Jordanian foreign ministers to Jerusalem to present the API. » Read more