State will not oppose Migron petition to High Court ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Tovah Lazaroff - July 18, 2012 - 12:00am The state does not plan to oppose a High Court of Justice petition by the residents of the West Bank Migron outpost to remain in their homes. Last summer, the High Court of Justice issued a binding order mandating the state to evacuate the outpost by August 1, because it was built without proper permits on land classified by the state as belonging to private Palestinians. But early this month, outpost residents announced that they had purchased 2.5 out of 5 hectares on which the outpost is located from its Palestinian landowners. » Read more

Death of Palestinian woman at Bil'in protest goes to High Court ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Gili Cohen - July 18, 2012 - 12:00am The High Court of Justice on Wednesday will hear a petition demanding an IDF criminal investigation into the January 1, 2011 death of a Palestinian woman while a demonstration was taking place in the West Bank village of Bil'in. Jawaher Abu Rahmah died after having inhaled tear gas fired the previous day to disperse a demonstration staged in Bil'in to protest the separation fence in the village area. » Read more

Palestinian camp shelters 2,000 displaced Syrians ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency July 18, 2012 - 12:00am Palestinians in a refugee camp near Damascus on Wednesday welcomed more than 2,000 displaced Syrians fleeing fighting that has spread to the Syrian capital. The Syrians came to al-Yarmouk camp from neighborhoods throughout the area, but many are from Al Tadamon which locals say has been bombed heavily by the Syrian army. Sources in the camp said Palestinians have organized into civil teams to organize shelter for those displaced, housing people in family homes, mosques and schools. They also formed medical teams to treat those who are injured. » Read more

Abbas in Egypt to meet Mursi ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency July 18, 2012 - 12:00am President Mahmoud Abbas arrived in Egypt on Tuesday evening to meet with newly elected Egyptian President Muhammad Mursi. The president will update Mursi, Egypt's first democratically elected leader and Islamist in power, on the situation of Israeli settlements, and other activities in the occupied territories, a Fatah statement said. He will tell Mursi of the pressure put on Palestinian leaders to return to negotiations without conditions. » Read more

PNA outraged by Israel's remarks about Al-Aqsa Mosque ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua July 17, 2012 - 12:00am Palestinian National Authority ( PNA) was outraged Tuesday by Israel's attorney general's remarks that Muslim's Al-Aqsa Mosque in East Jerusalem is integral to Israeli territory and thus under Israeli Law. Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat protested the comment, saying it went against UN Security Council resolutions and the Palestinian-Israeli agreements. Erekat stressed that East Jerusalem with its holy places and archaeological sites are part of an occupied territory. "All the Israeli attempts to annex them are illegal and unrecognized." » Read more

Was Yasser Arafat Poisoned? ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Voice of America by Cecily Hilleary - July 17, 2012 - 12:00am Former Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat died in 2004 of a sudden illness, which led to a fury of conspiracy theories that have never died down.  The rumors surrounding his death were revitalized recently after a the Lucerne-based Swiss Institute of Radiophysics found traces of the deadly radioactive agent polonium  on Arafat’s clothing and personal effects.  So what has prompted this investigation into Arafat’s death - and could an autopsy of his remains finally put a rest to this enduring mystery? » Read more

Arab League to form committee to probe Arafat's death ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua July 18, 2012 - 12:00am The Arab League (AL) decided on Tuesday to set up an independent committee to probe the death of former Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. The committee will work with the Palestinian side and Arab and international bodies to reveal the details behind Arafat's death, according to a statement issued after a meeting of the pan-Arab body's permanent delegates. The AL urged Palestinian investigators to provide all information available and other countries, especially France, to support the committee's work. » Read more

Israel nabs suspect in attack on activist's home ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press July 17, 2012 - 12:00am Israeli police say they have arrested a 21-year-old man for allegedly spraying hate graffiti on the home of a prominent anti-settlement activist. Activist Hagit Ofran said she found messages on the stairwell of her Jerusalem apartment building on Monday reading "Hagit — you're dead." Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld says the suspect admitted to vandalizing the home, as well as the office of Ofran's employer, the Peace Now group. » Read more

Hamas now has monopoly on summer fun for Gaza kids ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press by Diaa Hadid - July 17, 2012 - 12:00am The Islamic militant Hamas has won a vital battle with the U.N. over the hearts of Gaza's children, moving unopposed into the summer camp sector this year after the world body ran out of money. That means Gaza kids who go to camp will have only the option of those that are heavy with lessons on Islam, political indoctrination and, in some cases, paramilitary training. » Read more

West Bank: Israel Authorizes University in Jewish Settlement ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times by Isabel Kershner - July 17, 2012 - 12:00am An Israeli education committee voted Tuesday to grant full university status to an academic center in Ariel, a large Jewish settlement, making it the first Israeli university in the West Bank. Most of the world views the areas that Israal conquered from Jordan in the 1967 war, and where the Palestinians want to establish a future state, as occupied territory, and the Israeli settlements there as a violation of international law. Critics denounced the decision as a political move aimed at bolstering the settlement project. » Read more