March 14th

Israelis See Iran “Mini-Drill” in Gaza Flare Up ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters by Dan Williams - March 13, 2012 - 12:00am JERUSALEM, March 13 (Reuters) - Israel has emerged from the past few days of fighting with Palestinians in Gaza more confident that its advanced missile shield and civil defences can perform well in any war with Iran. Describing how the flare-up in violence had provided an impromptu opportunity to test out Israel's defences, one Israeli official said on Tuesday it gave useful indicators for any potential conflict with Tehran: "In a sense, this was a mini-drill," the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. » Read more

Palestinians Are Caught in the Middle ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Bitterlemons by Ghassan Khatib - (Opinion) March 12, 2012 - 12:00am The tension between Iran, on one hand, and Israel and the United States, on the other hand, is growing and having a variety of impacts regionally and internationally. The reason for the increased tension is numerous official statements and periodic leaks over a possible Israeli strike on Iranian nuclear facilities as a way to prevent it from becoming a nuclear power. » Read more

It’s Not Iran ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Bitterlemons by Yossi Alpher - (Opinion) March 12, 2012 - 12:00am The Israeli-Palestinian peace process, as we have known it since the 1993 signing of the Oslo accords, essentially died more than three years ago with the demise of the final status talks between then-Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. Whatever happens in the months ahead between Israel and Iran or between the United States and Iran will not directly affect a non-existent peace process. » Read more

Gaza’s Blood Traders Fighting Assad’s Battle? ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Arab News by Tariq Alhomayed - (Opinion) March 14, 2012 - 12:00am Whilst the world is in a state of shock with regard to the massacres that continue to be carried out against the Syrian people at the hands of the Bashar Assad regime, “tinplate” rockets were being fired from Gaza into Israel, and the Israelis, of course, responded to this with violence, and then suddenly it was announced that the Egyptians had mediated and therefore the situation had calmed, and then Hamas announced that it was involved in this. So why did what happen, happen? Why was the Egyptian mediation accepted in the first place? » Read more

Unjustified ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jordan Times (Editorial) March 13, 2012 - 12:00am An uneasy ceasefire seems to have taken hold in Gaza, stopping Israeli warplanes from pounding the Palestinians in the strip after four days that left 25 Palestinians dead. The blame game started from day one: Israel said it killed the leader of the Popular Resistance Committees (PRC) on Friday because he was “planning” to attack it through the Sinai desert; US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton condemned the firing of rockets at Israel — in response to its initial killings — the UN, France and Russia expressed concern or tepidly appealed for an end to the fighting. » Read more

UNRWA is Becoming Thick With BRICS ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Daily Star by Fillipo Grandi - (Opinion) March 14, 2012 - 12:00am The last summit of the so-called BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) almost exactly a year ago saw the unveiling of a compelling call to global humanitarian and development action. The final communiqué envisioned an alliance united by the “overarching common objective of a strong and shared desire for peace and security, contributing significantly to the development of humanity, establishing a more equitable and fair world.” » Read more

Diplomacy Led By Cairo is Still a Stabilising Force ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The National (Editorial) March 14, 2012 - 12:00am It was Egyptian mediation that secured a ceasefire between Hamas and Israel after four days of deadly clashes. For all of the changes in Cairo since Hosni Mubarak's fall more than a year ago, there are signs that it is resuming its role as a powerhouse in the region. Especially because of the changes in Cairo, that renewed diplomacy has been a welcome development. » Read more

After Bibi’s U.S. visit, question remains: What’s Israel’s next step on Iran? ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA) by Ron Kampeas - (Opinion) March 13, 2012 - 12:00am WASHINGTON (JTA) -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is waiting and watching when it comes to Iran -- although for how long, no one knows. Analysts and Jewish organizational officials who speak with Israeli and U.S. government say Netanyahu came away from his meeting last week with President Obama feeling that he has a strategic partner in seeking to keep Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. But, they say, he has yet to decide whether Obama’s tactics will do the job or if Israel must strike. » Read more

Until the Next Round ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Yaakov Katz - (Analysis) March 14, 2012 - 12:00am Israel and Islamic Jihad reached a tenuous cease-fire on Tuesday, which both sides know will likely not last longer than a few months. In a week or so, Palestinian terror groups will again begin firing rockets sporadically into Israel and the IDF will respond with the bombing of tunnels and so-called terror targets. The price in such a case would be far too high for what Israel is willing to pay. » Read more

Hamas No Longer Major Player in Gaza ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Khaled Abu Toameh - (Analysis) March 14, 2012 - 12:00am Hailing the latest Egyptian-brokered truce as an “achievement,” Islamic Jihad and the Popular Resistance Committees, the two groups who were behind the rocket and mortar attacks on Israel, have proven that Hamas is no longer the major player in the Gaza Strip. As of this week, Hamas will have to live with the fact that these two groups pose a challenge to the Islamist movement’s control over the Gaza Strip. » Read more