May 17th

Palestinian refugees in Lebanon, Syria bury dead ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press by Albert Aji - May 16, 2011 - 12:00am Tens of thousands of Palestinians in Lebanon and Syria carried coffins through the streets of their refugee camps Monday as they buried those killed when protesters marched on Israel's border. Israeli forces opened fire on thousands of Arab protesters who marched toward Israel's borders with Syria, Lebanon and Gaza on Sunday in an unprecedented wave of demonstrations, killing at least 15 people, including 10 in Lebanon. The Palestinians were marking a Palestinian day of mourning for their displacement in the war that followed Israel's creation in 1948. » Read more

Palestinians test tactic of unarmed mass marches ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press by Karin Laub - May 16, 2011 - 12:00am Palestinian activists are calling it a preview of new tactics to pressure Israel and win world support for statehood: Masses of marchers, galvanized by the Arab Spring and brought together by Facebook, descending on borders and military posts — and daring Israeli soldiers to shoot. It could prove more problematic for Israel than the suicide bombings and other deadly violence of the past — which the current Palestinian Authority leadership feels only tainted their cause. » Read more

Israel's Netanyahu takes aim at Hamas ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press by Ian Deitch - May 16, 2011 - 12:00am Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday took a tough line toward an emerging Palestinian government ahead of a high-profile trip to Washington, saying "those that want to destroy us are not partners in peace." Netanyahu reiterated a willingness to agree to a Palestinian state under certain conditions but made clear he did not believe it was possible if the Islamic militant group Hamas, which is set to join a Palestinian unity government with the Western-leaning Fatah movement, does not recognize Israel. » Read more

Palestinian "Arab Spring" confronts Israel on borders ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters by Dan Williams - (Analysis) May 16, 2011 - 12:00am Founded as a Jewish homeland and post-Holocaust haven, forged in border wars with Arab forces, Israel now confronts a redefinition of the conflict after Palestinian refugees massed fearlessly on its frontiers. The thousands of protesters who surged from Syria, Lebanon and Gaza on Sunday, flattening some buffer-zone fences and drawing deadly Israeli gunfire, reminded many in the country of the image-corroding consequences of pitting the region's mightiest military against stone-throwing demonstrators. » Read more

Palestinians feel stronger through unity, protests ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters by Tom Perry - May 16, 2011 - 12:00am Palestinians have declared Sunday's protests on Israel's borders a historic moment in the Middle East conflict, a turning point inspired by Arab revolts that could set the tone for more activism to come. Coming three weeks after rival Palestinian groups agreed to end four years of internal conflict, leading Palestinians say the protests have injected new hope into their national struggle as the U.S.-led peace process has ground to a complete halt. » Read more

Netanyahu: Palestinian unity govt not a peace partner ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters by Jeffrey Heller - May 16, 2011 - 12:00am Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, setting the stage for a high-profile U.S. visit, said on Monday a Palestinian unity government that includes Hamas Islamists could not be Israel's peace partner. But in what could be a departure from long-held positions, the right-wing leader appeared to hold out the prospect of future territorial compromise if his peace terms -- which have drawn Palestinian rejection in the past -- are met. » Read more

UN: Israel displaced 149 Palestinian children in 2011 ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency May 16, 2011 - 12:00am Israel's policy of demolishing Palestinian homes has displaced 149 children in the West Bank so far this year, figures from the UN agency for Palestinian refugees show. Between January and April, Israel destroyed at least 193 Palestinian structures, including 78 residential units, forcibly displacing 333 Palestinians, UNRWA said. The figures show a sharp rise from with the same period in 2010, when 142 Palestinians -- including 61 children -- were forcibly displaced. » Read more

UN: Israel displaced 149 Palestinian children in 2011 ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency May 16, 2011 - 12:00am Israel's policy of demolishing Palestinian homes has displaced 149 children in the West Bank so far this year, figures from the UN agency for Palestinian refugees show. Between January and April, Israel destroyed at least 193 Palestinian structures, including 78 residential units, forcibly displacing 333 Palestinians, UNRWA said. The figures show a sharp rise from with the same period in 2010, when 142 Palestinians -- including 61 children -- were forcibly displaced. » Read more

Italy upgrades Palestine's diplomatic status ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency May 16, 2011 - 12:00am Italian President Giorgio Napolitano said Monday that Rome would upgrade Palestine's representation to a full diplomatic mission. During a visit to Bethlehem, Napolitano said the head of the mission would have the status of an ambassador. At a joint press conference, President Mahmoud Abbas thanked his Italian counterpart for upgrading Palestinian diplomatic status and for Rome's commitment to a peaceful settlement in the Middle East. France, Portugal, Norway, Greece, Spain and Ireland have all elevated Palestine's diplomatic representation in their capitals. » Read more

Report: Hamas, Fatah say progress in Cairo ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency May 17, 2011 - 12:00am Fatah and Hamas officials say talks in Cairo to work out the details of reconciliation have so far been positive, Egyptian media reported Tuesday. Officials did not say who was being considered for posts in the new technocrat government being created, but said the new administration would be in place "soon," the Cairo-based newspaper Ash-Sharq Al-Awsat reported. » Read more