November 7th

'Abbas says he'll plan elections with Hamas, but won't run' ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post (Analysis) November 7, 2011 - 1:00am Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas reportedly told members of his Fatah faction on Monday that he plans to discuss Palestinian elections with Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal when the two meet in Cairo later this month. However, Abbas said he would not run for office again, London-based daily Al-Hayat reported. Elections for the PA presidency and the National Legislative Council will be held in May, 2012, and Abbas asked the senior Fatah officials to make serious preparations for the polls, according to the report. » Read more

Israel, Palestine need new paradigm to resolve conflict ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Gulf News by Adel Safty - (Opinion) November 7, 2011 - 1:00am Last week, the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) at a meeting of its General Assembly, admitted Palestine as a full member. The meeting was emotional. As it began, someone shouted Vive La Palestine (long live Palestine); when the delegates began to vote on the resolution to admit Palestine, the hall rang with loud and sustained cheers, as representatives of Austria, Russia, Brazil, India, China, South Africa and France indicated their country's affirmative vote. The resolution was carried with 107 for, 14 against and 52 abstentions. » Read more

An evening in New York with the enemies of the state ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Chemi Shalev - (Opinion) November 6, 2011 - 12:00am A few days before the start of the GA, I went down to a place called Times Center in midtown Manhattan, looking for people with horns. Not French horns, mind you, or bicycle horns, but more like rhinoceros’ horns, of the kind that is usually found attached to Naomi Chazan’s forehead. » Read more

Israeli lawmakers to debate "Jewish national homeland" bill ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua by Mu Xuequan - (Analysis) November 6, 2011 - 12:00am A bill proposing defining Israel as the national homeland of Jewish people sparked heavy debate at the country's Knesset parliament on Sunday, drawing criticism from both left-of-center and Arab parties. The bill, if approved, would legally define Israel as the homeland of the Jewish people, as well as bolstering current legislation that makes Hebrew the country's official language, while giving Arabic a "special status," the Yediot Aharonoth daily reported. Currently, both Hebrew and Arabic are official languages in Israel. » Read more

Israeli army, intel sites down after 'Anonymous' threat ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency (Analysis) November 7, 2011 - 1:00am The Israeli army and intelligence agencies' websites were offline on Sunday, two days after hacker group Anonymous warned it would "strike back" for Israel's capture of Gaza-bound ships on Friday. Anonymous, a network of online activists who have attacked government and financial websites around the world, released a statement Friday warning that the group would take action against the navy's seizure of two ships aiming to break Israel's blockade on the Gaza Strip. » Read more

New study offers insight on Palestinian suicide attacks ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Christian Science Monitor by Batsheva Sobelman - (Blog) November 5, 2011 - 12:00am A strong correlation exists between unemployment, tough economic conditions and the nature of suicide attacks carried out by Palestinians in recent years, according to a new study, the first comprehensive research of its kind. The study, conducted by the Harry S. Truman Institute for the Advancement of Peace, found that while poverty itself did not necessarily dictate the frequency of terrorist attacks, economic conditions were closely linked to the characteristics of the perpetrators and, more interestingly, the nature of the suicide operations themselves. » Read more

The struggle to make Israel a normal country ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Oudeh Basharat - (Opinion) November 7, 2011 - 1:00am Only in Israel is pork called "white meat." A white steak, as opposed to an impure pig steak, can be devoured with a clear conscience. What the British call the War Ministry is designated in Israel as the Defense Ministry, a sort of friendly neighborhood nickname. And don't ever run into the intellectually challenging expression "the absentee law," this is simply the law that allows the theft of Arab property. » Read more

Israel’s reckless duo ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Uri Bar-Yosef - (Opinion) November 7, 2011 - 1:00am The growing reports about the possibility that our prime minister and defense minister have already decided that Israel shall attack Iran’s nuclear sites must bother any Israeli citizen concerned for his personal safety and for the nation’s security. Historical experience taught us that we must not underestimate such reports. » Read more

Eyes on Gaza flotilla, but Gazan activists looking at Hamas ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Christian Science Monitor by Kristen Chick - (Analysis) November 7, 2011 - 1:00am Samah Ahmed used to be proud to tell people she was Palestinian. She grew up at a time when the Palestinian struggle to break free of Israeli occupation was an inspiration to the Arab world. She participated in the second intifada that began in 2000. When people found out she was Palestinian, she says, they respected her. » Read more

Obama must stop Netanyahu, Barak from attacking Iran ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Akiva Eldar - (Opinion) November 7, 2011 - 1:00am Some six months before a devil incarnate shot Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin in the back in order to stop the peace process, two American politicians stabbed him in the neck. In May 1995, at the height of the fragile negotiations on the interim peace agreement, the two welcomed Rabin to Washington with a fatal legislative initiative. The Republican candidate for the presidency, Bob Dole, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Newt Gingrich, proposed recognizing united Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and requiring the administration to move the U.S. Embassy there. » Read more