Words matter: A new language for peace ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by John V. Whitbeck - (Opinion) February 8, 2012 - 1:00am The words people use, often unconsciously, can have a critical impact. Dangerously misleading terminology remains a major obstacle to Israeli-Palestinian peace. The current initiative by Palestine to upgrade its status at the United Nations from “observer entity” to member state or, temporarily failing that, “observer state” is commonly referred to, by both supporters and opponents of this initiative, as an effort to “achieve statehood” or “recognition of statehood” through the United Nations. It is nothing of the sort. » Read more

The Mainstreaming of Hamas Continues as Palestinian Unity Gains Steam ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Time by Karl Vick - (Analysis) February 6, 2012 - 1:00am One of the least-noticed consequences of the Arab Spring might be called the “mainstreaming of Hamas.” The chief of the Palestinian party and militia, which the West knows chiefly for its suicide attacks on Israel, has declared repeatedly that it has decided to set aside violent resistance and, in the spirit of the Arab Spring, concentrate on demonstrations and other nonviolent methods. » Read more

Special from Israel: Officials mull path forward after historic Palestinian reconciliation ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Egyptian Independent by Roger Hercz - (Opinion) February 9, 2012 - 1:00am Jaffa -- Mahmoud al-Zahar, the co-founder of Hamas, was clearly satisfied as he spoke to Israeli TV following the historic Palestinian reconciliation pact signing last week. “Your intelligence organizations are not so impressive after all,” he told Channel 10 News. Israeli leaders were certainly caught off guard when news broke that Fatah and Hamas had reached a deal to mend ties, four years after a schism erupted between the two Palestinian factions and Hamas security forcibly ousted Fatah personnel from the Gaza Strip. Al-Zahar was rubbing Israel’s lack of anticipation in its face. » Read more

The Palestinians Regain their Decision ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Dar Al-Hayat by Elias Harfoush - (Opinion) February 9, 2012 - 1:00am The Palestinian reconciliation agreement between Fatah and Hamas should be placed in its right context, i.e. in the context of the transformations witnessed in the Arab region. » Read more

Palestinian Unity May Turn to Reality ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jewish Daily Forward by J.J. Goldberg - (Opinion) February 9, 2012 - 1:00am To understand the new unity agreement between the two Palestinian factions, Fatah and Hamas, it helps to recall the story of the village beggar and his cake. It happened once that the village beggar asked the rabbi for a ruble to buy some food. An hour later the rabbi saw the beggar in the market, eating a slice of cake. Incensed, the rabbi rushed to rebuke him: “When I give you a ruble you should eat a meal, not cake!” “Excuse me,” the beggar replied. “Yesterday I had no money, so I couldn’t eat cake. Today I have money, but I shouldn’t eat cake. Tell me, rabbi, when can I eat cake?” » Read more

Banging the war drums ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Douglas Bloomfield - (Opinion) February 8, 2012 - 1:00am The Obama administration has taken some unusual steps to discourage an Israeli strike on Iranian nuclear facilities in the coming months. After diplomatic, intelligence and military leaders failed to get the message across in private, they went public. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, through columnist David Ignatius, said his biggest worry is the strong likelihood of an Israeli attack before summer. » Read more

Is Netanyahu pretending? ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Eitan Haber - (Opinion) February 8, 2012 - 1:00am Benjamin Netanyahu was the big winner of the recent Likud primaries. However, he too realizes that the party that sent him to the Prime Minister’s Office is slipping through his fingers. Likud is distancing from him. However, some politicians will respond to the above with a chuckle. For years they have been saying that Netanyahu has not changed at all, and that Likud is not distancing from him at all. Bibi is just like Moshe Feiglin, with a softer veneer, they say. The primaries’ results will force Netanyahu to rip the mask off his face. » Read more

Israel overcome by paranoia ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Alex Fishman - (Opinion) February 8, 2012 - 1:00am At first glance, one is shocked. The images one recalls of the pastoral desert border between Israel and Egypt have been erased. The landscape is cut by a grey, towering metal fence. At the top of it one sees not only barbed wire, but also sharp knives. Alongside this menacing fence lies more barbed wire, affixed to the earth, with a patrol road nearby. » Read more

In praise of Israel's abnormality ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Israel Harel - (Opinion) February 9, 2012 - 1:00am It is indeed true that Israel does not have, and quite possibly could not have, an "umbrella definition of a Hebrew nation that, from a political and legal standpoint, is supposed to embrace us in all our factions and variations, including religious and ethnic ones, while separating religion and state," as Doron Rosenblum wrote (Haaretz, February 3 ). Such lamentations over the lack of "Israeliness," and therefore, of "normalcy," date back many years, and represent the feelings of a nontrivial segment of Israeli society. » Read more

A new peace is needed ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Ari Shavit - (Opinion) February 9, 2012 - 1:00am First the old peace was lightly wounded. After Israel gave the Palestinians most of Gaza, the first bus blew up at Dizengoff Square. After Israel gave the Palestinians Nablus and Ramallah, buses started blowing up in downtown Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. And after Israel suggested that the Palestinians set up a sovereign state on most of the occupied territories, they responded with a wave of terror. And as suicide terrorists were running amok in our cities, it started to dawn on people that maybe there was something defective about the promise of a great peace. » Read more