October 3rd

The lies about the settlements ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Shaul Arieli - (Opinion) October 3, 2012 - 12:00am "More and more people are internalizing the fact that our presence here as emissaries of Israeli sovereignty is a fait accompli," declares Dani Dayan, head of the Yesha Council, the mainstream settler leadership, in a short promotional film summing up the past year. » Read more

Our Jerusalem ATFP World Press Roundup Article from International Herald Tribune by Shmuel Rosner - (Blog) October 3, 2012 - 12:00am JERUSALEM — A week ago, just days before his U.N. speech, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas met a small number of so-called American Jewish leaders. It wasn’t the first time he tried to talk with a group that supposedly holds sway with both American and Israeli audiences. » Read more

Danny Ayalon and the Jewish refugee fallacy ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Times of Israel by Daniel Haboucha - (Opinion) October 1, 2012 - 12:00am The Israeli government has recently launched a campaign to win international recognition for the plight of the approximately 700,000 Arab Jews, or Mizrahim, who fled their homes during the 20-odd-year period following Israel’s establishment in 1948. » Read more

Group: 20 Palestinians killed in Syrian refugee camp ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency October 3, 2012 - 12:00am BETHLEHEM (Ma'an) -- Twenty Palestinians were killed overnight Tuesday in a refugee camp in southern Syria, a Damascus-based Palestinian group said. The coordinating committee of Yarmouk refugee camp told Ma'an that 20 Palestinians in Deraa camp were killed and dozens injured in heavy bombing by the Syrian army. » Read more

Prime Minister in Gaza Likely To Become Hamas Leader ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Al-Hayat by Fathi Sabbah - October 2, 2012 - 12:00am Palestinian sources told Al-Hayat that "[the Prime Minister in Gaza] Ismail Haniyeh is likely to be elected as chairman of the executive committee of the Hamas movement in the next few days or weeks, thus succeeding the current head of the movement’s political bureau, Khaled Meshaal.” The sources said that the name of the new chairman of the executive committee will likely remain a secret. » Read more

Israeli university political unit at risk over stance on settlers ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The National by Vita Bekker - October 3, 2012 - 12:00am TEL AVIV // The political science department at one of Israel's largest universities has become the latest battleground between the country's anti-settler movement and those who want to advance Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank. Israel's top higher education body, which is chaired by Gideon Saar, the right-wing education minister, and includes other pro-settler board members, will this month rule on possibly closing Ben-Gurion University's department of politics and government. » Read more

Barak fends off Netanyahu criticism ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Attila Somfalvi - October 3, 2012 - 12:00am Defense Minister Ehud Barak on Wednesday commented on accusations leveled at him by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu relating to the role he plays in Israeli relations with the United States. » Read more

Netanyahu: Barak is trying to stir up trouble between me and Obama ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Jonathan Lis - October 3, 2012 - 12:00am Benjamin Netanyahu's office has declined to comment on a report that the prime minister has accused Defense Minister Ehud Barak of trying to damage relations between Israel and the Obama administration. » Read more

EU foreign ministers pushing to label all settlement products ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Barak Ravid - October 3, 2012 - 12:00am The foreign minister of Denmark, Villy Sovndal, is urging the European Union to set down regulations that would force European marketing chains and stores to clearly label products originating in Israeli settlements. The initiative, which is raising fears in Jerusalem, is getting backing from France, Britain and several other EU countries. » Read more

PA preparing to set minimum wage ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency October 3, 2012 - 12:00am BETHLEHEM (Ma'an) -- The Palestinian Authority will announce a minimum wage on October 15, the minister of labor said Tuesday. Ahmad Majdalani declined to reveal figures, but told Ma'an that detailed discussions on monthly, daily and hourly minimum wages had been held for two months. Palestinian labor law regarding internships and probation contracts had also been considered, Majdalani said. "We are close to reaching an agreement on the minimum wages," he said. » Read more