False Prophecy and Real History in the Mideast ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Nation by Norman Birnbaum - (Opinion) September 24, 2012 - 12:00am Kabuki theater, with its extremely stylized dramaturgy, and the Yiddish stage, with its lachrymose realism, are rarely joined. The Democratic National Convention succeeded, however, in fusing the two. A platform insertion terming Jerusalem the undivided capital of Israel was gaveled through by a visibly unhappy mayor of Los Angeles, reportedly at the insistence of the White House, which sought to silence Republican charges that the administration is disloyal to our unruly client state. » Read more

Israel frees two Hamas lawmakers in West Bank ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua September 30, 2012 - 12:00am RAMALLAH, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- Israeli authorities on Sunday released two lawmakers in the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) in the West Bank. » Read more

Palestinian official criticizes U.S. position on U.N. recognition ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Los Angeles Times by Maher Abukhater - September 28, 2012 - 12:00am RAMALLAH, West Bank -- A Palestinian official Friday criticized President Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for opposing Palestinians' bid for statehood recognition in the United Nations, and failing to give the issue more attention in their speeches this week before the international body. » Read more

The deeply disturbing Israel court ruling on Rachel Corrie ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Seattle Times by Cindy Corrie - (Opinion) September 29, 2012 - 12:00am LAST month, in a deeply disturbing ruling, an Israeli court dismissed the civil lawsuit brought by my family against the state of Israel for the wrongful death of my daughter Rachel Corrie. Born and raised in Olympia, Rachel was a human-rights defender and peace activist killed in 2003 by an armored Israeli military bulldozer as she stood for hours, visibly and nonviolently protesting the Israeli government’s policy of civilian home demolitions in Rafah, Gaza. » Read more

Vote on UN bid of recognizing Palestinian as non-member state to be "very soon": official ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua September 30, 2012 - 12:00am RAMALLAH, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- A senior Palestinian official on Sunday said that the vote on the bid of recognizing Palestinian as a non-member state by the United Nations will be "very soon." Chief Palestinian negotiator, Saeb Erekat, told Xinhua that the Palestinian delegation in New York began its contacts and consultations with Arab and foreign countries. » Read more

Gazans call on Egypt not to destroy tunnels ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua September 30, 2012 - 12:00am GAZA, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- Dozens of Palestinian notables and community leaders demonstrated on Sunday at the borderline area between southern Gaza Strip and Egypt, calling on Egypt not to destroy dozens of smuggling tunnels. » Read more

Qatar opens diplomatic office in Gaza ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press October 30, 2012 - 12:00am GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — In a boost to Gaza's Hamas government, the Gulf state of Qatar said on Sunday it opened the first diplomatic office in the isolated territory since the Islamic military group took power five years ago. » Read more

Spare a Thought for Bibi’s Medievalists ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Daily Beast by Daniel Levy - (Opinion) September 28, 2012 - 12:00am Let’s face it: September 27th, 2012, was not a good day for the Israeli Prime Minister’s office props and graphics department. » Read more

Hamas corruption weighs heavily on Gaza ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Daily Star by Tamir Haddad - (Opinion) October 1, 2012 - 12:00am Recently, an official of the Finance Ministry in the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip announced that since 2006 the office had not received a single report of corruption. Whether or not this is true, the fact is that Hamas corruption is not only pervasive in Gaza, it has also been detrimental to the greater social and economic good. » Read more

Palestinian Authority’s woes are a problem for US, Israel ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Boston Globe (Editorial) October 1, 2012 - 12:00am The Palestinian Authority is on the verge of financial collapse — and that’s not just a problem for Palestinians. It is also bad news for the United States and Israel, both of which say they support a future Palestinian state. Unrest is spreading in the West Bank over high prices and delayed salary payments by the Palestinian Authority, the area’s largest employer. Economic woes add to mounting frustration after four years of stalled peace talks. » Read more