May 9th

First rifts emerge in new Israeli coalition ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press by Josef Federman - May 9, 2012 - 12:00am JERUSALEM — The first rifts in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's expanded coalition emerged just a day after the Israeli leader brought the main opposition party into his government, with religious and secular parties exchanging threats Wednesday over draft exemptions for ultra-Orthodox Jews. » Read more

New Israel Partner Offers Moderate Voice on Iran ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times by Isabel Kershner - May 8, 2012 - 12:00am JERUSALEM — Less than two weeks ago, Yuval Diskin, the recently retired chief of Israel’s internal security agency, carried out a blistering verbal assault on Prime Minister » Read more

Master Tactician in Israel Adds Power in a Coalition Deal ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times by Jodi Rudoren - May 8, 2012 - 12:00am JERUSALEM — Striking a secret deal with the leader of the opposition in the small morning hours, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel significantly expanded his power on Tuesday, creating the largest and broadest c » Read more

May 8th

Tel Aviv Rising ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Daily Beast by Bernard Avishai - (Opinion) April 30, 2012 - 12:00am ''I don't believe in a leadership that makes decisions based on messianic feelings,'' Yuval Diskin, the former head of the Israeli Secret Service said this past week. The gathering was to celebrate Israeli’s Independence Day in the Tel Aviv suburb of Kfar Saba. He was speaking in code. » Read more

Obama doesn't need Israeli ex-officials to know Netanyahu doesn't want peace ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Akiva Eldar - (Opinion) May 1, 2012 - 12:00am True, it would very much benefit Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to hold the election as early as possible, before Kadima chairman MK Shaul Mofaz gains altitude and former media personality Yair Lapid manages to convince people that his nascent party really does have a future. Indeed, Netanyahu would benefit from summoning voters to the ballot boxes before the 2013 budget compels the next government to plunge its hands deep into their pockets. » Read more

It's wrong to push out Israeli settlers, even if its legal ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Moshe Arens - (Opinion) May 1, 2012 - 12:00am The State of Israel rightfully prides itself on being the only democracy in the Middle East. It also takes pride in being a country in which the rule of law prevails. That is no small matter in a country that has had to contend with wars and acts of terrorism throughout the 64 years of its existence and presently faces what might be an existential threat. It is probably without parallel in other democracies throughout history that have had to deal with the kinds of emergencies with which Israel must contend. » Read more

Muslim Students: Radicals or Partners? ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jewish Daily Forward by Nathan Guttman - (Analysis) May 1, 2012 - 12:00am Washington — In their cautious dialogue with American Muslims, national Jewish groups have long steered clear of the Muslim Students Association, one of the biggest Muslim groups in the country and one that many Jewish communal officials see as extremist. But that red line is increasingly being ignored by Jewish students at colleges across the country, where campus Hillel foundations are finding their local MSA counterparts to be congenial partners for interfaith activities. » Read more

Co-op boycotts exports from Israel's West Bank settlements ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Guardian by Harriet Sherwood - May 28, 2012 - 12:00am The Co-operative Group has become the first major European supermarket group to end trade with companies that export produce from illegal Israeli settlements. » Read more

US Jews vastly prefer Obama to Romney ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Hilary Leila Krieger - May 1, 2012 - 12:00am BOSTON – US Jewish voters prefer US President Barack Obama to former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney by 61 percent to 28%, according to a new American Jewish Committee survey released Monday. Those surveyed also approved more than disapproved of the way Obama has handled what they saw as the major issues in deciding how they would vote, when asked to list their top three: the economy (80%), health care (57%), national security (26%), taxes (26%), the US-Israel relationship (22%) and social security (22%). » Read more

Israel Does Have a Partner At the Negotiating Table ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'ariv by Nati Sharoni - (Opinion) May 2, 2012 - 12:00am This is the first time that former chiefs of Israeli security Meir Dagan of the Mossad and Yuval Diskin of the General Security Services (GSS or Shin Bet) have issued such a scathing warning about flawed analyses of major security risks. This is also the first time that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak have been accused of "messianic impulses" and of portraying a false picture of the situation. » Read more