“Destroy them, God, obliterate them from the face of the earth.” ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Daily Beast by Emily L. Hauser - (Opinion) August 30, 2012 - 12:00am Pop quiz: What religio-political leader said the following, about which nation? Do good, God, wipe them out, kill them…. Destroy them God, obliterate them from the face of the earth. If you said Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, head of Israel’s Shas Party and one of the country’s ultra-Orthodox kingmakers, and further guessed that he was talking about Iran—please take a seat at the head of the class. » Read more

In Israel, No Women Are Deciding Matters of National Security ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Yedioth Ahronoth by Rachel Dolev - (Opinion) August 23, 2012 - 12:00am "The prime minister, the defense minister and the foreign minister each have their own specific authorities; there is the forum of nine ministers and there is the Cabinet and the decision, when it has to be made, will be made by the government of Israel – that's the way it has always been and that's the way it should be; not any group of citizens is going to dictate the decision nor even any press editorial." Thus said (Israeli) Defense Minister Ehud Barak at the special parliamentary session convened to approve the appointment of Avi Dichter as home front defense mi » Read more

How serious is Israel? ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Arab News by Hassan Barari - (Opinion) August 31, 2012 - 12:00am The sense of urgency for the Israeli government these days cannot be higher. Israel’s concerns of Iranian nuclear capabilities have repeatedly been made at all international forums over the past two years. Additionally, Israeli leaders have made it perfectly clear that they would risk a war rather than coexist with an unpredictable and “irrational” nuclear Iran. Knowing the grave consequences of an Israeli attack on Iranian nuclear facilities, the Israeli public has strongly supported a military option to deal with Iran. » Read more

Bring Israel into NATO ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Yehuda Lukas - (Opinion) August 31, 2012 - 12:00am A nuclear Iran is virtually a fait accompli. A military strike by Israel, the United States or both may delay but will not prevent the Islamic Republic from eventually acquiring such capability. Decision-makers ought to consider devising a new security architecture, one that would deter Iran and guarantee Israel's long-term survival. A radical alternative to war is required - one that would make Israel a member of NATO, protected by the "one-for-all, all-for-one" policy of the 28-member alliance. » Read more

Violinist-composer Nassim Dakwar is back with a new trio – and a new stripped-down sound ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Ben Shalev - (Music Review) August 31, 2012 - 12:00am If only his violin were in his hand, it would be a whole lot simpler. He would play and things would be clear. But the violin is not here, and Nassim Dakwar is sitting in his kitchen in the northern village of Tarshiha, trying to describe the inner core of his music. He talks about the emotional connection between him and the violin, and says he aspires to reach the magic behind the sounds. These attempts leave him dissatisfied, however; he sighs and appears a bit frustrated. » Read more

A short primer on the Migron outpost ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Chaim Levinson - (Analysis) August 30, 2012 - 12:00am Q: What's the story with the eviction from Migron? A: Migron is a settlement outpost that was established near the main highway in the West Bank in 2001, just north of Ramallah. Nearly 50 Israeli families live in the outpost today. All the land upon which the outpost was built belongs to Palestinians. » Read more

Swiss experts ready to help Arafat probe, but time running out ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters by Stephanie Nebehay - August 30, 2012 - 12:00am (Reuters) - A Swiss institute has agreed to a request from the Palestinian Authority to exhume Yasser Arafat's body and determine whether he was poisoned, but time is running out for a credible scientific examination of his remains, it said on Thursday. » Read more

Settlement rabbi: Attacking innocent Palestinians ‘sacrilege’ ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA) August 31, 2012 - 12:00am (JTA) -- The rabbi of the West Bank settlement of Bat Aiyn defined a recent attack on a Palestinian taxi as “sacrilege.” Rabbi Daniel Cohen said he hoped a police investigation of the attack, which occurred earlier this month, would show that youths from his community were not involved, Israel Radio reported on Friday. The attack left six wounded after a Molotov cocktail hit the driving taxi. Police questioned several youths from Bat Aiyn about the incident, which happened near the settlement.  » Read more

Water crisis will make Gaza strip 'unliveable' ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Guardian by John Vidal - August 31, 2012 - 12:00am The Gaza strip faces a water crisis that will soon make it "unliveable" unless plans for a $500m desalination plant are approved by banks, delegates at a water conference in Stockholm were told this week. » Read more

On Iran Strike, U.S. Should Not Be 'Complicit': General ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA) August 31, 2012 - 12:00am General Martin Dempsey, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of U.S. armed forces, does not wish to be “complicit” in a unilateral Israeli strike on Iran. The Guardian reported that Dempsey said in London that such an attack would “clearly delay but probably not destroy Iran’s nuclear program.” He added, “I don’t want to be complicit if they choose to do it.” » Read more