Grand Mufti of Egypt on controversial Jerusalem visit ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The National by Hugh Naylor - April 19, 2012 - 12:00am JERSUALEM // Egypt's top cleric visited Jerusalem yesterday, breaking decades of opposition by Muslim leaders to travelling to areas under Israeli control. The Grand Mufti Ali Gomaa described his visit on Twitter as a show of solidarity with the Palestinians. It was the first time an Egyptian grand mufti had visited Jerusalem since Israel captured the area in the Arab-Israeli war of 1967. Palestinian leaders hailed the visit as an important show of support for Palestinian claims to the eastern part of the city for their future state. » Read more

US: Torture law doesn't apply to PLO, PA ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters April 19, 2012 - 12:00am WASHINGTON - The Palestinian Authority and PLO cannot be sued under a 1991 US victim protection law over the alleged torture of an American in a West Bank prison, the Supreme Court ruled on Wednesday, holding that the law only applies to individuals. The justices unanimously agreed with the Obama administration that the Torture Victim Protection Act allowed civil lawsuits in US courts only against a person who had engaged in torture or killing, not against groups. » Read more

Dept. of Justice response on prosecuting Palestinian killers unsatisfying for lawmakers ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA) by Zach Silberman - April 18, 2012 - 12:00am WASHINGTON (JTA) -- U.S. House lawmakers want more answers after the Department of Justice reiterated the obstacles it says stand in the way of prosecuting alleged Palestinian terrorists who killed Americans. Assistant Attorney General Ronald Welch in his April 5 letter was responding to a March 1 letter to U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder from Congress members that called on Holder to pursue prosecutions against Palestinian terrorists who were responsible for killing Americans and were recently released by Israel as part of the deal to free captive Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit. » Read more

Settlers in West Bank outpost build new homes on private Palestinian land ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Amos Harel, Chaim Levinson, Jonathan Lis, Barak Ravid - April 19, 2012 - 12:00am Some 20 homes that have been built in the Mitzpeh Cramim outpost during the past year could spark a similar coalition crisis to the one recently created by the Ulpana neighborhood in the settlement of Beit El, according to sources in the defense establishment. The prefabricated and permanent homes, in the outpost northeast of Ramallah, were all built on land that the state officially recognizes as being privately owned by Palestinians. » Read more

Yair Lapid: Unlike Tzipi Livni, I'll join cabinet and fight for my beliefs ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Ophir Bar-Zohar - April 19, 2012 - 12:00am Would-be politician and former news anchor Yair Lapid criticized Kadima for failing to join Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government, saying on Wednesday that he his party would join a future cabinet in a bid to "fight for what he believes in." Lapid's comments, coming during a speech to students in Sapir College, came after on Sunday he announced that his new political party will be called Atid, which means "future," adding that he has yet to tell the public whose faces - other than his own – will man the party. » Read more

Fatah official blames Hamas for reconciliation delay ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency April 19, 2012 - 12:00am BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) -- The secretary-general of Fatah's revolutionary council said Thursday that Hamas was to blame for suspending reconciliation talks. Amin Maqboul told Ma'an that some members of Hamas in Gaza are afraid to lose their privileges if a unity government is formed and presidential and parliamentary elections are held. He added that Fatah is open to all initiatives, whether Arab or Palestinian, to revive reconciliation talks. "There are some verbal initiatives, but we don't rely on such announcements or meetings if it doesn't aim to end the split totally," Maqboul said. » Read more

UN envoy condemns Israel's eviction of Palestinian family ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency April 19, 2012 - 12:00am BETHLEHEM (Ma'an) -- A senior UN official on Wednesday condemned Israel's eviction of Palestinians from their homes in Beit Hanina, East Jerusalem. "Evictions of Palestinians from their homes and properties in occupied territory contravene international law, including the Fourth Geneva Convention, and should cease," said UN humanitarian coordinator Maxwell Gaylard in a statement. Israeli police on Wednesday evicted a Palestinian family from their home in Beit Hanina, shortly before Jewish settlers moved in. » Read more

Fayyad meets Danish activist injured by soldier ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency April 19, 2012 - 12:00am RAMALAH (Ma'an) -- The prime minister in Ramallah Salam Fayyad on Wednesday met with Andreas Ias, a Danish activist who was injured Saturday by an Israeli officer. Fayyad condemned the attack and all of Israel's "continuous violations" against foreign activists, including the recent efforts by Israel to prevent over 1,000 visitors from visiting Palestine. "When we talk about Israeli violations against out people, we won't forget the attack on Andreas, who arrived in solidarity, nor the Israeli and international campaign to play down the attack," Fayyad said. » Read more

Israeli Officer Who Struck Protester Is Dismissed ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times by Isabel Kershner - April 18, 2012 - 12:00am JERUSALEM — The Israeli military announced on Wednesday that a senior officer caught on videotape striking a Danish pro-Palestinian activist in the face with an M-16 rifle during a standoff in the West Bank was to be dismissed from his post “on moral grounds.” In addition, the officer, Lt. Col. Shalom Eisner, will not receive a planned promotion to serve as the deputy commander of the military’s prestigious officer school, and will not be eligible to serve in a commanding position for the next two years, the military said in a statement. » Read more

In Gaza, Hamas rule has not turned out as many expected ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Washington Post by Karin Brulliard - April 18, 2012 - 12:00am GAZA CITY — The housing stipends, promised by Hamas social workers after much of Umm Mohammed’s neighborhood was demolished in an Israeli military assault three years ago, never came. The water barrels pledged by municipal authorities seemed to go only to Hamas cadres. Electricity is a rarity. And as Israeli airstrikes targeting Palestinian militants pounded the Gaza Strip last month, the housewife said, the enclave’s Hamas rulers watched from “their chairs” — lingo here for cushy seats of power. » Read more