March 30th

A Country of Walls ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Bitterlemons (Interview) March 29, 2012 - 12:00am an interview with Talal Okal BI: What do the conditions in the Sinai peninsula have to do with you and others in the Gaza Strip? Okal: The border that separates Sinai in Egypt and the Gaza Strip is the only border that is open for our use. The town of Rafah [where the main crossing is located] is actually split across the border between the two sides and many of Egyptian Rafah's residents are relatives of those who live on the Gaza side of the town. The connections there are extensive. Moreover, the tunnel network operating out of Gaza opens onto the Sinai. » Read more

Water-Rights Rancor Swirls Through West Bank Settlements ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Calcalist (Analysis) March 28, 2012 - 12:00am The politics of water is one of the most intriguing issues involved in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Who really owns the water sources shared by both Israel and the Palestinians, and how should they be divided? Peace Now activist Dror Etkes, known for his activity as the organization's chief tracker of Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria, has prepared a special report commissioned by the UN which shows how the settlers' activity in the West Bank seriously obstructs the Palestinians' access to springs and their ability to use them. » Read more

Challenges and Opportunities ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Bitterlemons by Yoram Meital - (Opinion) March 29, 2012 - 12:00am Developments in the Sinai Peninsula during the past year clearly reflect dramatic changes in Egypt and highlight the delicate situation at the Israeli-Gazan-Egyptian border junction. » Read more

Hamas' Mission Is Evolving As Sands Shift in Mideast ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Al-Monitor by Isam al Khafaji - (Analysis) March 22, 2012 - 12:00am “We will not be part in a war between Iran and Israel.” The startling announcement came not from the moderate Jordanian monarchy, nor from the Palestinian authority whose aim is to liberate the territory under Israeli occupation since 1967, but from Hamas, the organization whose proclaimed objective is to liberate all of historic Palestine via armed struggle. » Read more

Peter Beinart Responds ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Tablet Magazine by Peter Beinart - (Opinion) March 30, 2012 - 12:00am When someone calls you “an angry ex” and an “angry scold” and says your book is an “act of moral solipsism” written in “a spirit of icy contempt and patent insincerity,” it is tough to know where to begin. » Read more

A New Season of Palestinian Protests Challenges Both Israel and Abbas ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Time by Tony Karon - (Opinion) March 29, 2012 - 12:00am The Arab League is talking about Syria; Israel and the U.S. are talking about Iran. Nobody in the corridors of power, these days, is talking about the Palestinians. In part, that reflects the shifting geopolitical sands and the effectiveness of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in changing the subject — when he came to Washington to meet with newly elected President Barack Obama in 2009, Netanyahu wanted to talk about Iran, but Obama insisted he talk about settlements and the Palestinians; when Netanyahu met Obama in Washington three weeks ago, Iran dominated the agenda. » Read more

Terrified of Each Other ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Daily Beast by Joel Braunold - (Opinion) March 29, 2012 - 12:00am With a new month comes a new poll of Israelis and Palestinians on a variety of issues. All the usual suspects dominate the executive summary: whether Israelis believe in the viability of two states, what they think about an attack Iran or a settlement freeze. The poll tells the story that many of us expect from the populations caught in the depression and pessimism of the present. But the really frightening statistics come in the penultimate questions. » Read more

The Ghost of Conferences Past ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Daily Beast by Elisheva Goldberg, Raphael Magarik - (Opinion) March 29, 2012 - 12:00am The left of the American Jewish world likes to complain about how hard it is to be pro-peace and pro-Israel. At the J Street conference this weekend, I ran into an older rabbi who reminded me that, well, it could be a whole lot worse. Before U.S. Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis embraced Zionism and legitimized the American call for a Jewish homeland in Palestine, it was tough to be a Zionist in America, AP Photo » Read more

Arts Center in Ain al-Hilweh Showcases, Exports Palestinian Culture, History ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Daily Star by Mohammed Zaatari - March 30, 2012 - 12:00am AIN AL-HILWEH, Lebanon: Preparations are in full swing for Land Day, with thousands expected to march toward the country’s border with Israel, but remembering Palestinian history doesn’t always mean marching. A cultural center in Lebanon’s largest Palestinian refugee camp is working to document Palestinian history through artisan creations. » Read more

Defense Official: Hamas Factions Behind Attacks on Israel ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Amos Harel - March 30, 2012 - 12:00am Hamas is continuing to direct terrorist activity at Israeli targets through various means, despite its public declarations that it is committed to maintaining calm. Israeli intelligence sources have acknowledged, however, that the Islamic militant group currently wishes to maintain a low profile in an effort not to anger the Egyptians and not be perceived as violating the current cease-fire. » Read more