January 19th

Abbas urges Quartet to put pressure on Israel ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Khaled Abu Toameh - January 18, 2011 - 1:00am Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on Tuesday urged the Quartet members, who are scheduled to meet in Munich next month, to issue decisions that would oblige Israel to return to the negotiating table with the Palestinians. Abbas, who was speaking during a joint press conference in Jericho with visiting Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, said there were only two options: Negotiations or violence and terrorism. » Read more

A requiem for Israel’s Labor Party ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Foreign Policy by Daniel Levy - (Opinion) January 17, 2011 - 1:00am The parliamentary faction representing the party that founded and built the state of Israel and that dominated its governments for decades was today reduced to mere single digits -- Israel's Labor Party now has eight members in the Knesset. This latest dilution resulted from a move that took everyone by surprise, enacted by its now-erstwhile leader, still the country's defense minister, Ehud Barak. » Read more

Foreign Ministry talks break down; sanctions to intensify ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Herb Keinon - January 19, 2011 - 1:00am Talks between the Finance Ministry representatives and Foreign Ministry workers broke down in a late night session Tuesday. The Foreign Ministry workers were expected to announce an intensification of sanctions as part of the labor dispute, Channel 10 reported. The meeting convened Tuesday night focused on trying to put an end to the workers sanctions that claimed another victim – cancellation of a large UN meeting planned for Israel in March. Representatives of the ministry’s workers were meeting for the third time in as many days with Ilan Levin, the Treasury’s wages director. » Read more

Hamas launches Gaza rebuilding program ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews January 18, 2011 - 1:00am Hamas launched a program on Tuesday to rebuild 1,000 homes in the Gaza Strip destroyed during an Israeli offensive two years ago, a project that could boost the Islamist group's standing in the enclave it controls. Hamas, shunned by the West for refusing to renounce violence, declined to disclose the project's cost or the source of its funding. International donations towards reconstruction in Gaza have been held up by Hamas' split with the Palestinian Authority controlling the West Bank. » Read more

Palestinian U.S. mission raises flag in Washington for first time ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Natasha Mozgovaya - January 18, 2011 - 1:00am In a symbolic gesture, the Palestinians raised their flag over their diplomatic mission in Washington for the first time on Tuesday, as they continue in their quest for recognition by the international community. At a brief ceremony, the Palestinians' chief envoy to the United States, Maen Rashid Areikat, hoisted the red, green, white and black banner outside the PLO General Delegation office. "This is a historic day," Areikat said, adding that it brought him "much pride" to raise his flag. "I will remember this moment for the rest of my life." » Read more

Hariri Tribunal will be Hezbollah's Goldstone Report ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ibishblog by Hussein Ibish - (Opinion) January 18, 2011 - 1:00am Despite the understandable anxiety about the collapse of the Lebanese government—and the reaction of Hezbollah to the increasing likelihood that some of its operatives may be indicted by the Special Tribunal for Lebanon investigating the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri—the most probable scenario is that, for now, things in Lebanon will stay much as they have been. » Read more

Who will be the next to recognize an independent Palestinian state? ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Shlomo Shamir - January 18, 2011 - 1:00am Who will be the next country to recognize an independent Palestinian state? The guessing game continued on Tuesday, after Russia's president said Moscow recognizes an independent Palestine. Diplomatic sources in New York speculate that the first country in Western Europe to recognize Palestinian independence will be Spain. The significance of this potential recognition cannot be understated, as it could potentially influence other countries in Europe to make the same decision. » Read more

Israel can't stop Palestinian independence ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Aluf Benn - January 19, 2011 - 1:00am They will go out into Jerusalem's summer heat and march down Saladin Street toward the Old City walls. Fifty Palestinians, then 100, then 200 and 1,000 and 10,000. Marching and shouting "Istiqlal," independence. Not because they support Ehud Barak's new party, Atzmaut (the Hebrew word for independence ), but to get Israel out of the territories beyond the Green Line and establish a Palestinian state there. Just like the demonstrators in Tunisia got rid of Zine al-Abedine Ben Ali. » Read more

Israeli army digging in to protect wartime assets ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua January 18, 2011 - 1:00am The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said on Monday it plans to implement comprehensive measures in order to better protect missiles, munitions and other crucial military hardware from rocket attacks in any future conflict, according to The Jerusalem Post. In addition, the Home Front Command has shortened the estimated time civilians would have to take cover from incoming missiles. The army will not have the medium-range "Iron Dome" anti- missile system, which is said to protect areas in a 70-km radius, up and running until 2013. » Read more

Palestinian, Russian leaders urge settlement freeze to resume negotiations ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua by Fares Akram - January 19, 2011 - 1:00am Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and visiting Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on Tuesday called on Israel to stop building settlements in order to resume stalled peace talks. "There are two options: negotiations and peace, or violence and terrorism," Abbas told a news conference after his talks with Medvedev in the West Bank city of Jericho, "The Palestinian side will never choose the second option." » Read more