January 14th

Will Asia, Africa Follow Latin America on Palestine? ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Inter Press Service (IPS) by Thalif Deen - January 13, 2011 - 1:00am "It is a decision to be made by individual countries in their respective capitals," says one U.N. diplomat, who also ruled out any chances of a collective decision by regional or other power blocs such as the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) or African Union (AU). But still, the Latin American initiative is expected to pick up steam within the region as other countries join the growing list. The move was led by outgoing Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva when he made the announcement to formally recognise Palestine back on Dec. 3. » Read more

Israel demolishes homes and classroom in West Bank village ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Guardian by Harriet Sherwood - January 14, 2011 - 1:00am In a bleak but beautiful landscape of undulating stony hills I watched a group of Palestinian schoolchildren take their lessons yesterday in the open air next to a heap of rubble that, until this week, was their classroom. This is the village of Dkaika, about as far south in the West Bank as you can get. It's a community of around 300 people, without electricity or running water, whose days are spent tending their herds of goats and sheep and trying not to attract the attention of nearby Jewish settlers. » Read more

It’s a Bird, It’s a Shark, It’s a Mossad Spy ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Media Line by Michael Grubb - (Opinion) January 11, 2011 - 1:00am The “spy” vulture – a raptor Saudis captured and accused of collecting intelligence for Israel – was finally freed on Monday after six days in captivity. Prince Bandar bin Saud Al Saud, the head of Saudi Arabia’s wildlife agency, confirmed the global positioning technology found on the bird was being used by scientists to track its movements. » Read more

Obama forming Mideast 'task force' ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Yitzhak Benhorin - January 14, 2011 - 1:00am As chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's emissary Yitzhak Molcho continue their separate talks in Washington with US special envoy to the Middle East George Mitchell, the Obama administration is looking for new ideas to jumpstart the peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians. The POLITICO website reported Thursday that the Obama administration is seeking new ideas from diplomats and former administration officials familiar with the Mideast conflict and on how to advance the peace process. » Read more

IDF collecting settlers' weapons ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Akiva Novick - January 14, 2011 - 1:00am The Judea and Samaria Division has decided to collect hundreds of weapons handed to West Bank settlers by the army in light of the relative calm in the territories in recent years, infuriating settlement leaders. At the start of the al-Aqsa Intifada, more than a decade ago, the settlers received weapons from the army to help defend their communities. The recent improvement in the security-related situation in the West Bank, alongside a significant increase in weapon thefts in the settlements, has led to a decision to reduce the amount of military weapons available to settlers. » Read more

Netanyahu forbids demolition of illegal West Bank homes of slain IDF soldiers ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Chaim Levinson - January 14, 2011 - 1:00am Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday he would not allow the illegally built homes of two Israeli soldiers killed in action to be demolished. Both houses were built on illegal outposts in the West Bank, one on private Palestinian land. Defense Minister Ehud Barak said that unless a legal solution is found, the state will have to tear down the houses of the two soldiers, Eliraz Peretz and Roi Klein. » Read more

Guyana becomes 7th South American state to recognize Palestinian independence ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz January 14, 2011 - 1:00am Following Ecuador, Bolivia, Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, and Chile, Guyana has become the seventh South American nation to recognize an independent Palestinian state, Al Jazeera reported on Thursday. In a statement by the country's Foreign Ministry, Guyana's said it hoped "that the increasing recognition of the state of Palestine will contribute to a resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the creation of lasting peace and stability in the region." » Read more

Fatah warns Hamas against increasing tension in West Bank ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua January 13, 2011 - 1:00am Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah party on Thursday warned Hamas movement against increasing internal tension in the West Bank. "Fatah is engaged in a political fighting against Israel and hopes that nobody would change the direction of the fight in the West Bank," said Mahmoud al-Aloul, a member of Fatah Central Committee, referring to Palestinian diplomatic moves to secure more global support against the Israeli occupation. "It should be clear that we will not let anybody threaten our unity and support in the West Bank," al-Aloul said. » Read more

Turkish PM: Israel must remove foreign minister ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Associated Press by Hadeel Al-Shalchi - (Opinion) January 13, 2011 - 1:00am The prime minister of Turkey, whose ties with Israel have been badly strained over the past year, has called on the Jewish state to remove its hawkish foreign minister who he says poses an obstacle to Middle East peace. Avigdor Lieberman is a polarizing figure in Israel and outside, with his outspoken skepticism about peace with the Palestinians and his questioning of the loyalty of Israel's Arab minority. » Read more

Hamas deploys forces to stop Gaza rocket fire ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Associated Press by Ibrahim Barzak - January 13, 2011 - 1:00am Gaza's Hamas rulers deployed forces near the Israeli border Thursday to try to prevent smaller militant groups from firing rockets, a sign that the movement fears Israeli retaliation for the escalating barrages from the Palestinian territory. Hamas leaders called together representatives of militant groups in the seaside strip and told them to hold their fire, according to a meeting participant, before Hamas sent its forces to the border area. » Read more