Hamas and Fatah No Closer To Settling Their Differences ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Al-Monitor by Dalia Hatuqa - (Opinion) December 17, 2012 - 1:00am Amid the unprecedented West Bank celebrations marking the 25th anniversary of Hamas’ founding, questions are arising as to whether the Islamist Movement and Fatah are finally one step closer to reconciling their political differences.  » Read more

Talk of Palestinian-Jordanian confederation irks observers on both sides of the river ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Times of Israel by Elhanan Miller - December 17, 2012 - 1:00am Media reports that Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas is advancing a plan for confederation with Jordan have sparked a flurry of negative reactions both in Jordan and in the Palestinian territories. » Read more

AJC Turns Towards Israel, Global Advocacy ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jewish Daily Forward by Josh Nathan-Kazis - December 17, 2012 - 1:00am The century-old American Jewish Committee is cutting back on its domestic political agenda and on its research functions in favor of a focus on international advocacy. That shift follows a strategic plan that the AJC approved in 2009. Though the changes at the AJC have been broadly noted, the content of the blueprint itself — which the AJC shared with and described to the Forward — was previously unreported. » Read more

Hijab Stands In the Way of Palestinian Female Journalists ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Media Line by Diana Atallah - December 18, 2012 - 1:00am Journalists Claim Discrimination for Wearing Hijab RAMALLAH - Lubna Abu Safiyeh was forced to leave her media job and now works in an administrative position in a Ramallah company - all because her ambition to work in the TV world did not fit her choice of wearing a head scarf. » Read more

Palestinian poll: Hamas' Haniyeh would win PA presidency over Abbas ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Amira Hass - December 17, 2012 - 1:00am If elections for Palestinian president were to take place today, and the candidates were Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas and Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh, Haniyeh would win, a new Palestinian public opinion poll reveals. According to the poll, published on Monday by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research (PSR), headed by Khalil Shikaki, some 48 percent of the electorate would vote for Haniyeh, compared with 45 percent to Abbas. » Read more

Poll: 67% of centrist Israelis wouldn't elect party that splits Jerusalem ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Jonathan Lis - December 18, 2012 - 1:00am Two-thirds of centrist voters - defined as Labor Party and Yesh Atid supporters - would not support a party willing to compromise on Jerusalem, according to a poll commissioned by the rightward-leaning Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs. » Read more

Public sector union announces strikes across West Bank ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency December 18, 2012 - 1:00am RAMALLAH (Ma'an) -- The Palestinian Authority civil servants union on Monday accused Israel of collective punishment for withholding Palestinian tax revenues and announced strike action over non-payment of salaries. Union chief Bassam Zakarneh said government employees would strike from noon Tuesday until the end of the week.Civil servants have not received November salaries and cannot afford transport to get to work, Zakarneh added. » Read more

Israeli navy arrests Palestinian fisherman ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua December 17, 2012 - 1:00am GAZA, Dec. 17 (Xinhua) -- Israeli naval forces arrested a Palestinian fisherman on Monday after wounding him by shooting at his boat off Gaza City shore, a Palestinian official said. Nezar Ayyash of the fishermen syndicate said that Israeli gunboats encircled the fishing boat of Mas'ad Bakr, opened fire at the boat, wounded the guy and arrested him. » Read more

Pope tells Abbas of hope for Mideast solution ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters December 17, 2012 - 1:00am VATICAN CITY, Dec 17 (Reuters) - Pope Benedict told Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Monday the Vatican hoped the recent de facto recognition of Palestinian statehood at the United Nations would spur the international community to find a solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict. Abbas, who is on a tour of Europe to thank countries that supported the Nov. 29 resolution by the U.N. General Assembly recognising Palestine, held private talks with the pope for about 25 minutes in the Vatican's Apostolic Palace. » Read more

Israeli Embassy Deletes ‘Christmas Thought’ Attacking Palestinians From Facebook ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times by Robert Mackey - December 17, 2012 - 1:00am Last Update, 3:10 p.m. A “Christmas thought,” suggesting that if Jesus lived in the modern world he would “probably end up being lynched in Bethlehem by hostile Palestinians,” was deleted from the official Facebook page of Israel’s embassy in Ireland on Monday, just a few hours after it was posted. » Read more