Despite it all, still committed to peace ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Gershon Baskin - (Opinion) June 12, 2012 - 12:00am Palestinian Authority chairman Mahmoud Abbas told the French President Francois Hollande that if Israel releases weapons for his security forces and releases Palestinian prisoners he would be willing to meet in public with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu. This statement is very peculiar. Both the demands and the promised outcome require a bit of analysis and inquiry. » Read more

The warnings we should be hearing ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Amira Hass - (Opinion) June 13, 2012 - 12:00am Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a world-renowned expert on terror, needs experts to understand that the burning of a major mosque by Jews will spark a larger conflagration? As Haaretz reported on Sunday, prominent Mideast experts met with the prime minister to administer this warning, along with a warning that building 850 new housing units in the West Bank, as a "patriotic" response to the evacuation of Beit El's Ulpana neighborhood, will indirectly lead to the outbreak of a third intifada. » Read more

Fatah official: Israeli govt's settler push renews UN option ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency June 13, 2012 - 12:00am A Fatah official warned on Tuesday that the Israeli government is working for the interests of settlers, leaving the Palestinian Authority in an impasse that pushes UN membership to the fore again. Fatah Central Committee member Mahmoud al-Aloul told Ma'an that the cabinet led by Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu did not show any interest in negotiations, but is dominated by pushing settlement activities. » Read more

FIFA urges support for Mahmoud al-Sarsak ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency June 13, 2012 - 12:00am FIFA on Tuesday urgently called on the Israeli Football Association to raise the plight of detained hunger-striking soccer player Mahmoud al-Sarsak with Israeli authorities. Al-Sarsak has been on hunger strike for 86 days to demand his release. He has been imprisoned by Israel without charge or trial since July 2009. FIFA urged IFA to draw attention to al-Sarsak's situation "with the aim of ensuring the physical integrity of the concerned players as well as their right for due process," a report on its website said. » Read more

Palestinians' bid for full UN recognition "decisive" despite U.S. threats ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua (Interview) June 13, 2012 - 12:00am Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said on Tuesday in an interview with Xinhua that the Palestinian bid for the United Nations' full recognition of an independent Palestinian state is "decisive" despite threats and warnings from the United States. » Read more

Israeli forces order Hebron village demolished after settler case ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency June 13, 2012 - 12:00am Israeli forces on Tuesday handed a southern West Bank village demolition orders for each of its 50 buildings, a week after Israeli authorities agreed to halt all construction in the area in response to a petition filed by a settler group. Susiya village, in the south Hebron hills, has three days to appeal the decision before their village is demolished, resident Nasser Nawaja told Ma'an. The community's lawyer Quamar Mishirqi said she will file an objection to Israel's High Court. » Read more

Israel government report criticizes Netanyahu decision-making in naval raid on Gaza-bound ship ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press June 13, 2012 - 12:00am Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s decision-making was badly flawed as he oversaw a deadly Israeli naval raid on a Gaza-bound ship two years ago, according to a government report released Wednesday. The harsh findings were an embarrassing assessment of Netanyahu’s handling of a military operation that sent Israel’s relations with once-close ally Turkey plummeting and drew widespread international condemnation. » Read more

West Bank workers protest at Israeli crossing point ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua June 13, 2012 - 12:00am Hundreds of Palestinian workers demonstrated in front of an Israeli crossing point in the West Bank Wednesday, demanding Israeli forces to treat them better when they pass through. The workers suspended the movement through al-Jalama crossing between Jenin City and Israel for two hours, an official from the Palestinian Workers Union said. » Read more

Israeli army suspends officer over live fire in stone throwing incident ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua June 13, 2012 - 12:00am The Israeli army on Wednesday told Xinhua it was probing a recent clash between Israeli soldiers and Palestinians in northern West Bank, in which an Israeli officer fired his rifle towards Palestinian rock-throwers without authorization. » Read more

Vatican denies it will recognize East Jerusalem ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters by Philip Pullella - June 12, 2012 - 12:00am The Vatican said on Tuesday that an economic agreement it is negotiating with Israel will not mean the de facto recognition of Israel's annexation of East Jerusalem. The Vatican was responding to reports in Palestinian media that the deal, which involves tax status and other financial issues concerning Church properties in the Holy Land, would result in a recognition of Israel's control of East Jerusalem. » Read more