December 3rd

Netanyahu brushes off world condemnation of settlement plans ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters by Maayan Lubell - December 2, 2012 - 1:00am JERUSALEM, Dec 2 (Reuters) - Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday brushed off world condemnation of Israel's plans to expand Jewish settlements after the Palestinians won de facto U.N. recognition of statehood. » Read more

UN chief: Israel's construction plans 'fatal blow' to two-state solution ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz December 2, 2012 - 1:00am UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said Sunday Israel's plans to build 3,000 new homes in East Jerusalem and West Bank settlements "would represent an almost fatal blow to remaining chances of securing a two-state solution." Ban said in a statement that in the interest of peace, any plans for construction in the "E-1" corridor must be rescinded. » Read more

Britain, France, Sweden summon Israeli ambassadors over settlement expansion ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Barak Ravid - December 3, 2012 - 1:00am Britain, France, and Sweden summoned the Israeli ambassadors to their countries on Monday to express their condemnation of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's decision to move settlement construction ahead in the area known as E1, between Ma’aleh Adumim and Jerusalem. » Read more

Britain, France 'consider recalling Israel envoys' ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters December 3, 2012 - 1:00am JERUSALEM (Reuters) -- Britain is considering recalling its ambassador to Israel to protest at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's decision to expand settlement building, a diplomatic source said on Monday. Israel's Haaretz newspaper reported that France was also considering withdrawing its envoy, and the two countries were coordinating discussions over a number of punitive steps. » Read more

France, UK summon Israeli ambassadors over settlements ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters December 3, 2012 - 1:00am PARIS (Reuters) -- France and Britain on Monday summoned their Israeli ambassadors to express concerns over Israel's plans to expand Jewish settlements after Palestine won de facto UN recognition of statehood. "The ambassador has been summoned in order to express our disapproval," French foreign ministry spokesman Philippe Lalliot said. The Israeli embassy also confirmed the meeting. » Read more

For Obama, Difficult Timing of an Israeli Plan Is Nothing New ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times by Mark Landler - December 30, 2012 - 1:00am WASHINGTON — For President Obama, the news on Friday that Israel is planning to construct Jewish settlements in a geographically sensitive area east of Jerusalem came as a rude shock. » Read more

Israel withholds tax revenues from Palestinian Authority ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Los Angeles Times by Edmund Sanders - December 2, 2012 - 1:00am JERUSALEM -- Israel said Sunday it would withhold more than $100 million in tax revenue this month from the cash-strapped Palestinian Authority, the latest reaction to last week's U.N. vote recognizing the Palestinian territories as a "nonmember observer state." » Read more

Israel: E1 Zone No-Build Policy 'No Longer Relevant' ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Al-Monitor by Laura Rozen - December 2, 2012 - 1:00am As Israel announced that it was withholding tax payments to the Palestinian Authority on Sunday, an Israeli official told Al-Monitor that Israel considers its 2009 understanding with the Americans that it would not build in the sensitive E1 zone of East Jerusalem “no longer relevant.” » Read more

Netanyahu: Gov't okayed E1 planning, not building ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Herb Keinon - December 2, 2012 - 1:00am The government gave a green light to zoning and planning in the area known as E1 between Jerusalem and Ma’aleh Adumim, but not to actual construction there, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu clarified to his Likud ministers Sunday as condemnations of the move continued to pour into Israel from around the world. » Read more

Dividing the West Bank, and Deepening a Rift ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times by Jodi Rudoren - December 1, 2012 - 1:00am JERUSALEM — High up in an empty, mountainous expanse east of this city there is a stone patio with a pair of green metal benches and a plaque marking the cornerstone of a future Jewish community. Dedicated in 2009, the plaque promises the new city will be built “adjacent to the united Jerusalem, which will be quickly re-established.” » Read more