February 18th

Jewish Groups Scramble To Adjust to New Mideast Reality ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jewish Daily Forward by Nathan Guttman - February 16, 2011 - 1:00am The Egyptian revolution has kicked open the door to a vast Arab population that, for the first time, is poised to influence the course of its country’s policies directly. For Israel’s supporters, this could mean a new frontier for public diplomacy and a chance to reach out to Arab masses. » Read more

Obama taps Rudman, Grossman for key diplomatic spots ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA) February 17, 2011 - 1:00am The Obama administration has tapped veteran Jewish diplomats Mara Rudman and Marc Grossman for senior posts. President Obama said Wednesday that he is nominating Rudman to the top State Department post administering assistance to the Middle East through the U.S. Agency for International Development. Rudman, who has served in senior posts on both the Clinton and Obama National Security Councils, has been involved in a number of groups promoting peace talks in the Middle East and was a senior official with the International Commission on Holocaust Era Insurance Claims. » Read more

Dutch museum to lend Picasso for display in West Bank ATFP World Press Roundup Article from BBC World News February 17, 2011 - 1:00am Palestinian art lovers are to get a rare chance to view a Picasso when the painting goes on display in April, on loan from a Dutch museum. Eindhoven's Van Abbe Museum is lending the 1943 canvas Buste de Femme to the Ramallah international art academy, Radio Netherlands Worldwide reports. A film is due to be made of the painting's journey, including the Israeli border and other checkpoints. A special, temperature-controlled room is being prepared to house it. It is believed to be the first time a Picasso masterpiece will go on display in the Palestinian territories. » Read more

Dutch museum to lend Picasso for display in West Bank ATFP World Press Roundup Article from BBC World News February 17, 2011 - 1:00am Palestinian art lovers are to get a rare chance to view a Picasso when the painting goes on display in April, on loan from a Dutch museum. Eindhoven's Van Abbe Museum is lending the 1943 canvas Buste de Femme to the Ramallah international art academy, Radio Netherlands Worldwide reports. A film is due to be made of the painting's journey, including the Israeli border and other checkpoints. A special, temperature-controlled room is being prepared to house it. It is believed to be the first time a Picasso masterpiece will go on display in the Palestinian territories. » Read more

Israel to World: Don’t Be So Fast to Push Democracy on Middle East ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Media Line by Arieh O'Sullivan - February 17, 2011 - 1:00am While touting its own democratic credentials, Israel has been warning the world not to let experiments in democracy spread across the Middle East, lest Islamic fundamentalists are voted in. “We don’t want to stay the only democracy in the Middle East. We would love to live in a neighborhood where all countries are democratic. But is it feasible now?” Deputy Prime Minister Dan Meridor said in an interview with The Media Line. » Read more

'Jordanian-Israeli ties solid despite inflammatory words' ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Media Line by David Miller - February 17, 2011 - 1:00am A call by Jordan’s justice minister to free the jailed killer of seven Israeli girls has soured the Hashemite Kingdom’s relations with Israel, but experts said they expect the ties to weather the diplomatic storm. The minister, Hussein Mjali, a well known oppositionist, was appointed to the post just last week and immediately began making inflammatory remarks. On Wednesday he called Israel a “terrorist state” and an “enemy of the kingdom.” » Read more

Israel Supreme Court rules Hebron Jews can't reclaim lands lost after 1948 ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Chaim Levinson - February 18, 2011 - 1:00am The Jewish community in Hebron celebrated this week the decision of Education Minister Gideon Sa’ar to fund Jewish heritage trips for students to the city’s Tomb of the Patriarchs. But last week, the community suffered a setback when the Supreme Court ruled that Jews could not be given property which belonged to them in the city before 1948, and that they are also not entitled to be given any compensation for it. » Read more

UN set to vote on settlement resolution; U.S. set to veto ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Natasha Mozgovaya, Barak Ravid - February 18, 2011 - 1:00am The UN Security Council is expected to vote today on a resolution brought by the Arab states and the Palestinian Authority declaring the Jewish settlements in the West Bank illegal and an obstacle to a two-state solution. The United States is expected to veto the resolution, its first such action since President Barack Obama took office two years ago. » Read more

Israel sees benefits from Mideast turmoil ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua by Adam Gonn, Yuan Zhenyu - February 18, 2011 - 1:00am After the overthrow of the presidents of Tunisia and Egypt, mass anti-government protests erupted across the Middle East. Analysts told Xinhua that the recent turmoil in the region seems to be bad news for Israel at first glance, but in the long term the situation could work to its advantage. NEW REALITY The single most important event from an Israeli point of view over the last month was the resignation of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, who was viewed as a strong ally during his 30-year rule. » Read more

Palestinians say U.S. presents new ideas to revive Mideast peace process ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua February 18, 2011 - 1:00am The Palestinian leadership will meet Friday in the West Bank to discuss new U.S. ideas aimed at reviving peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians, sources said Thursday. President Mahmoud Abbas asked the Executive Committee of Palestine Liberation Organization and the Central Committee of his Fatah movement for an urgent meeting to discuss the ideas, the sources said. The sources said they do not have details about the new ideas, while Palestinian officials contacted by Xinhua refused to comment. » Read more