June 15th

The Coming Israeli Tsunami? ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Middle East Online by Immanuel Wallerstein - (Opinion) June 15, 2011 - 12:00am The Palestinians are pursuing their project of seeking a formal recognition of their statehood by the United Nations when the General Assembly convenes in the fall. They intend to request a statement that the state exists within the boundary lines as they existed in 1967 before the Israeli-Palestinian war. It is almost certain that the vote will be favorable. The only question at the moment is how favorable. » Read more

Israel’s choice vis-à-vis Palestine’s bid for statehood ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Common Ground News Service by Jerome M. Segal - (Opinion) June 14, 2011 - 12:00am Having despaired of productive negotiations with the Netanyahu government and having lost confidence in the Obama administration, the Palestinians are expected to seek recognition of the State of Palestine from the UN General Assembly (UNGA) in September. Attaining recognition from the General Assembly will be easy, but once recognition is attained, they face the hard part: getting Israel to end the occupation, share Jerusalem, and make a meaningful accommodation on refugees. » Read more

Some Arab-Americans need more of the American ATFP World Press Roundup Article from NOW Lebanon by Hussein Ibish - (Opinion) June 14, 2011 - 12:00am The Arab-American community continues to suffer from the debilitating condition of operating primarily within an Arab rather than an American framework, and of approaching its political mission based on a set of imported imperatives, rivalries and grievances. Far too many prominent people and organizations are driven largely by a derivative agenda, looking for guidance and direction from groups, individuals and governments in the Middle East, thereby rendering themselves woefully ineffective and marginal in their own country. » Read more

Hamas, Fatah should look at bigger picture ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Gulf News (Editorial) June 15, 2011 - 12:00am Continuing reconciliation between the two Palestinian parties of Fatah and Hamas is vital. The slow momentum which has built up since they signed a reconciliation pact on May 4 must not be allowed to stop. An agreed interim government is their main priority, since without such an agreement the Palestinians will not be able to go to the United Nations in September and seek recognition as a state, nor will they be able to seek UN support to end the blockade of Gaza. » Read more

From Arab Spring comes a new form of Palestinian unity ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The National by Joseph Dana, Jesse Rosenfeld - (Opinion) June 15, 2011 - 12:00am On June 5, when Palestinian protesters tried to march from Ramallah to Jerusalem in observation of the 44th anniversary of Israel's 1967 occupation, they were sent scrambling amidst clouds of Israeli tear gas and hailing rubber bullets. Hours later on the Syrian border, Israeli soldiers responded to a separate demonstration by killing 23 unarmed Palestinian refugees, who were also trying to exercise their right of return. » Read more

European Parliament: East Jerusalem should be Palestinian capital ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz June 15, 2011 - 12:00am The European Parliament supports the creation of a Palestinian state within the 1967 borders with agreed land swaps, its president said Wednesday. It embraced the vision for peace in the Middle East as outlined by U.S. President Barack Obama in a May 19 address in Washington, European Parliament President Jerzy Buzek said. Addressing the Knesset in Jerusalem, Buzek however reiterated direct peace negotiations were the "only solution." » Read more

Don’t blame UNRWA ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Chris Gunness - (Editorial) June 14, 2011 - 12:00am Ynetnews’ recent article, “The Arab refugee swindle” by Moshe Dann, fundamentally fails to understand international law, UNRWA’s mandate and its day-to-day operations. All refugee communities, whether those under the care of UNRWA or UNHCR, have their refugee status passed through the generations while their plight remains unresolved. Refugees in Kenya administered by UNHCR are a good example. In this regard, the accusation that UNRWA uniquely perpetuates the Palestine refugee problem is ignorant of international refugee law and practice. » Read more

Angels perceived as devils ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Nathan Englander - June 15, 2011 - 12:00am Tony Kushner doesn't mind the heat. He grew up in Louisiana, and he's long used to it by now. So when I ask him to sit outside on a stifling Manhattan morning already edging toward 100 degrees, he's more than happy to oblige. » Read more

Israel Navy rehearses raid ahead of new Gaza-bound flotilla ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua June 15, 2011 - 12:00am JERUSALEM, June 15 (Xinhua) -- The Israel Navy on Wednesday held an exercise incorporating several special forces units as part of ongoing preparations to prevent an international aid flotilla from reaching the Gaza Strip in the coming weeks. The organizers of "Freedom Flotilla 2," to include 15 ships and some 1,500 pro-Palestinian activists, plan to set sail from European ports later this month and are expected to approach Gaza coast in the first week of July. » Read more

Myth of indefensible borders ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Daniel Nisman, Avi Yesawich - (Opinion) June 14, 2011 - 12:00am Individuals who claim the 1967 borders are indefensible ignore the overarching paradigm shift of the Israeli-Arab conflict that has taken place over the last decade. The political outcry in Israel following Obama’s Mideast policy speech was palpable. The president stated what many Israeli hawks found to be unacceptable, if not outright dangerous: Any future Israeli-Palestinian agreement should be based on the 1967 borders with mutually agreed upon land swaps. Hysteria followed, with Netanyahu issuing a clear rebuke to Obama’s statement during his speech at the US Congress. » Read more