December 1st

Israel arrests 22 Palestinians in West Bank ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua December 1, 2011 - 1:00am The Israeli army arrested 22 Palestinians Thursday in West Bank raids that targeted key members of a leftist Palestinian faction, Palestinian sources said. The raids took place in Nablus, Bethlehem and Jenin city, where 10 members of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine ( PFLP) were detained, the sources said. Among the detainees was Nasser Abu Aziz, a member of the PFLP's Central Committee. "This campaign against the PFLP elements has been going on for days," said Khaleda Jarrar, a PFLP leader. » Read more

Released Palestinians build houses, marry, study ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Associated Press by Daniella Cheslow - December 1, 2011 - 1:00am Palestinian prisoners released in a swap for an Israeli soldier last month are racing to make up for lost time: Many of the 477 former inmates are already getting married, building homes or enrolling in college, even as Israel keeps a close eye on them in fear they could return to violence. Most had spent long years behind bars, and even expected to die in prison for their roles in bloody attacks that killed hundreds of Israelis. » Read more

Lieberman denounces 'mistaken decision' to hand over Palestinian tax money ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Barak Ravid - December 1, 2011 - 1:00am Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman denounced on Wednesday the decision to handover $100 million in tax money to the Palestinian Authority. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's top cabinet ministers approved the handover of the funds despite the vocal opposition of Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman. Lieberman, who voted against the transfer in a forum of eight meeting on Wednesday, said “Israel should have explained the decision clearly to the international community, instead of allowing pressure to lead to a mistaken decision.” » Read more

Resumption of Israeli transfers averts PA crisis ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Associated Press by Karin Laub - November 30, 2011 - 1:00am Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' government narrowly dodged a full-blown cash crisis after Israel agreed Wednesday — under intense international pressure — to resume the transfer of $100 million a month in frozen tax funds. » Read more

Netanyahu balks at Abbas proposal for Palestinian state borders ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Barak Ravid - December 1, 2011 - 1:00am Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas recently provided representatives of the Middle East Quartet with a new proposal on borders for a Palestinian state and security arrangements that Israel would be provided in a peace agreement. The Quartet, which is comprised of the United States, the United Nations, the European Union and Russia, has demanded that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu provide a counterproposal, however Israel has refused to do so, saying that any counterproposal should be presented in direct negotiations with the Palestinians. » Read more

Palestinians to wean themselves off foreign aid ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Associated Press December 1, 2011 - 1:00am The Palestinian prime minister says he wants to drastically reduce his government's reliance on foreign aid next year, and hopes to be able to pay for day-to-day operations with local revenues by 2013. Salam Fayyad told The Associated Press in an interview Thursday that his decision was spurred by what he described as the Palestinian Authority's worst financial crisis since its inception in the mid-1990s. The crisis was triggered by reduced foreign aid and Israel's suspension last month of the transfer of taxes it collects for the Palestinians. » Read more

November 30th

Israel's take on Arab Spring may undo peace with Egypt ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Zvi Barel - (Opinion) November 30, 2011 - 1:00am Who's the leader of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt? What is the exact name of the head of Tunisia's Al-Nahda party? And who heads the Islamic Movement in Morocco? One could expect these names to be common knowledge in a country anxious about the "Islamist take-over" of the Middle East and concerned that the peace treaty between Israel and Egypt will collapse. » Read more

The Arab Awakening and Israel ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times by Thomas L. Friedman - (Opinion) November 29, 2011 - 1:00am Israel is facing the biggest erosion of its strategic environment since its founding. It is alienated from its longtime ally Turkey. Its archenemy Iran is suspected of developing a nuclear bomb. The two strongest states on its border — Syria and Egypt — are being convulsed by revolutions. The two weakest states on its border — Gaza and Lebanon — are controlled by Hamas and Hezbollah. » Read more

Stories from the Old City: 'We are not living like human beings' ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Independent by Catrina Stewart - November 30, 2011 - 1:00am At the top of a steep and ramshackle street in the Palestinian neighbourhood of Silwan, a rusty, battered gate opens into an unremarkable house. Less than a quarter mile away, though, stand the Al Aqsa mosque and the Wailing Wall, two of Jerusalem's most venerated holy sites, making it a very attractive piece of real estate indeed. » Read more

Hamas's Al-Zahar in hot water ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Asharq Alawsat by Ali El-saleh - November 29, 2011 - 1:00am London, Asharq Al-Awsat- Informed Palestinian sources have revealed to Asharq Al-Awsat that the Hamas Movement has been imposing severe disciplinary measures on Mahmud al-Zahar, member of the movement's Political Bureau, over remarks he made criticizing Khalid Mishal, head of Hamas Political Bureau. Al-Zahar has been critical of Mishal over his acceptance of a Palestinian State within the 1967 borders, and giving another time-limit period for the negotiations with Israel in his address to the ceremony of signing the reconciliation agreement in Cairo on 4 May 2011. » Read more