November 6th

Barack Obama Understands the Arab-American Community and its Concerns ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Al-Hayat by James J. Zogby - (Opinion) November 5, 2012 - 1:00am On November 6th, I will enthusiastically cast my vote to reelect Barack Obama as President of the United States. I will do so without hesitation despite the disappointment that I and many in my community feel with the lack of change or progress made during the past four years on many issues about which we care deeply. » Read more

Mitt Romney Deserves the Arab-American Vote ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Al-Hayat by George Salem - (Opinion) November 5, 2012 - 1:00am The coming presidential election presents a consequential choice for American voters. Many Americans are concerned with the direction their country is heading. Arab Americans are no different. As a community we are well integrated into American political life and an important voting constituency in many areas of the country. Our vote matters, as do the concerns and insight of our community matter this election season. In September 2012, the Arab American Institute released a poll on how the community will vote. » Read more

A Memo to the US President ATFP World Press Roundup Article from NOW Lebanon by Hussein Ibish - (Opinion) November 6, 2012 - 1:00am Dear Mr. President: congratulations on winning today's election. The third debate with your esteemed opponent reflected a broad consensus on foreign policy. Both of you therefore appeared well-positioned to make any necessary course corrections, but the job is yours. US Middle East policy needs to be tweaked rather than overhauled. On most pressing issues, current policies reflect a reasonable balance between American values and interests, and the really existing options and politically plausible positions for any administration.  » Read more

Palestinian statehood doesn’t threaten Israel — but stalled peace process might, internal Foreign Ministry report says ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Times of Israel by Raphael Ahren - November 5, 2012 - 1:00am The Palestinian statehood bid at the United Nations does not delegitimize Israel, Jerusalem’s demand for recognition as a Jewish state does nothing for the country’s legitimacy, and the stalled peace process harms Israeli interests. All these assertions, which read like the talking points of a European government or a pro-Palestinian NGO, are found in a report written by a senior official in the Foreign Ministry, of Israel. » Read more

Avigdor Lieberman's New Role Raises Worries ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jewish Daily Forward by Nathan Guttman - November 4, 2012 - 12:00am Washington D.C. — Pro-Israel activists who have long depicted Israel’s firebrand foreign minister, Avigdor Lieberman, as a marginal figure are now pondering how to explain his enhanced role to American politicians and others following Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s decision to merge his party with Lieberman’s and effectively make Lieberman his chief deputy. » Read more

Court addresses fumes, moving Palestinians ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Yonah Jeremy Bob - November 6, 2012 - 1:00am The High Court of Justice on Monday held another hearing in which settlers say Palestinians around Wadi Ara are harming them with the fumes created through coal production, while the Palestinians say that the settlers are just trying to force them off their land. » Read more

Russia FM: Hamas can play vital role in advancing Palestinian issue ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Avi Issacharoff - November 5, 2012 - 1:00am Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Monday that the Palestinian issue must remain a top priority and should not be neglected as a result of the upheavals of the Arab Spring. Speaking after a meeting with the deputy head of Hamas' political bureau, Moussa Abu Marzouk, in Cairo, Lavrov clarified that Moscow thinks Hamas can play an important role in advancing the Palestinian issue. "We believe the Palestinian issue cannot be solved without Palestinian unity, and the same goes for solving the entire Middle East conflict." » Read more

Hamas denies preventing Fatah official from leaving Gaza ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency November 6, 2012 - 1:00am GAZA CITY (Ma'an) -- The Ministry of Interior in Gaza on Tuesday denied reports that security forces had prevented a Fatah official from leaving the Gaza Strip a day earlier, a statement said. Central committee member Amal Hamad waited at the Palestinian side of the Erez crossing for two hours before she was turned back, Fatah said on Monday. » Read more

Teacher strike closes West Bank schools ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency November 6, 2012 - 1:00am RAMALLAH (Ma'an) -- The teachers union undertook large scale strike action on Tuesday, forcing most schools in the West Bank to close for the day. The union had announced Saturday that it would hold half-day strikes for two weeks, blaming the Palestinian Authority government for ignoring their salary demands. Union head Muhammad Sowan had told Ma'an that school teachers would leave at 12 p.m. each day starting Sunday, and on Tuesdays teachers would not go into work at all. » Read more

3 Israeli soldiers wounded in bombing on Gaza border ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua November 6, 2012 - 1:00am JERUSALEM, Nov. 6 (Xinhua) -- Three Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers were wounded in a bombing by Palestinian militants along the southern Gaza border early Tuesday. The IDF said in a statement sent to Xinhua that one of the soldiers sustained moderate wounds and the other two were hurt lightly in the blast, which took place near Kibbutz Nirim. » Read more