Israel hits back over refugee campaign ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The National by Vita Bekker - September 17, 2012 - 12:00am TEL AVIV // Levana Zamir, a 74-year-old Jew born in Egypt, bitterly recalls her experiences on the day in May 1948 when David Ben-Gurion, Israel's first prime minister, declared the country's independence. » Read more

‘Price tag’ tactics of West Bank Jewish settlers ATFP World Press Roundup Article from BBC News by Jane Corbin - September 16, 2012 - 12:00am With their hoodies, covered faces and cans of spray paint, they may in some ways look like average teenage vandals out for a night of trouble. » Read more

Fayyad posts protest song on his Facebook page ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Roi Kais - September 17, 2012 - 12:00am In wake of the Palestinian social protest, Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad decided to take matters into his own hands: Fayyad on Sunday posted a popular anti-government protest song, which calls on the prime minister to resign, on his own Facebook page. » Read more

Ari Shavit's countdown: Former Israeli intelligence chief breaks his silence on Iran ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Ari Shavit - September 13, 2012 - 12:00am Over the past 30 years, Amos Yadlin has fought against three nuclear programs that threatened our future. In 1981 he was one of the eight F-16 pilots who attacked and destroyed the Iraqi-French nuclear reactor in Osirak. In 2007, he was the Israel Defense Forces head of Military Intelligence who, according to foreign sources, was among the leaders of the campaign that led to the destruction of the Syrian-Korean nuclear reactor in Deir ez-Zor. » Read more

EU pledges extra 100 million euros for PA ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency September 14, 2012 - 12:00am BRUSSELS (Reuters) -- The European Union will double its aid for Palestinian development and the Palestinian Authority to 200 million euros in 2012, the EU executive said on Friday. The development aid will be focused on water, sanitation and support for refugees. A further 100 million euros aid credits unspent last year will be also spent in 2012, the European Commission said in a statement. » Read more

Palestinian trade unions divided over strike action ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency September 17, 2012 - 12:00am BETHLEHEM (Ma'an) -- Palestinian trade unions are divided over whether to continue strike action in protest against rising living costs, unionists said Sunday. Transport union leader Nasser Younis told Ma'an that strike action was not a goal in itself but a means to pressure the Palestinian Authority to listen to their demands. » Read more

Official: 30 years after camp massacre, justice still elusive ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency September 17, 2012 - 12:00am BETHLEHEM (Ma'an) -- On the 30th anniversary of the massacre of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon's Sabra and Shatila camp, a Palestinian official stressed that no one has been brought to justice. "Those responsible for slaughtering thousands have not been punished and Palestinian refugees continue to be denied their homeland," PLO official Saeb Erekat said in a statement Sunday. » Read more

'Egyptian soldier killed in Sinai terrorist clash' ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post September 17, 2012 - 12:00am An Egyptian soldier was killed Sunday in an exchange of fire between terrorists and Egyptian troops and security forces in the Sinai Peninsula, army spokesman Colonel Ahmed Mohammed Ali said, according to AFP. , » Read more

Gaza govt: Inquiry cleared Palestinians in Sinai attack ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency September 17, 2012 - 12:00am GAZA CITY (Ma’an) -- The government in the Gaza Strip has conducted an investigation with Egyptian coordination into the deadly border attack last month, and found no Palestinians were involved, a Palestinian official said on Monday. Neither residents of the Gaza Strip nor other Palestinians played a part in the killing of 16 Egyptian security officials on Aug. 5, spokesman of Gaza's interior ministry, Ehab al-Ghasein, said in a statement. » Read more

All-female bloc runs in Palestinian elections ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press by Mohammed Daraghmeh - September 15, 2012 - 12:00am HEBRON, West Bank — A new group running for municipal elections in Hebron is offering residents an alternative to politics as usual in the conservative West Bank city: Women at the helm, instead of men. » Read more