September 20th

Very Little Room for Diplomacy in ‘Fortress Israel’ ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Al-Monitor by Barbara Slavin - (Opinion) September 19, 2012 - 12:00am Reading Patrick Tyler’s provocative new book, Fortress Israel, it is hard to have confidence that Israel’s leaders will allow much more time for efforts at a diplomatic resolution to the standoff over Iran's nuclear program. » Read more

Gaza: Hamas Says Israel Killed Officials ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters September 20, 2012 - 12:00am Israel killed two Palestinians in the Hamas-led Gaza Strip on Wednesday, accusing both of involvement in attacks on Israel and weapons smuggling from Egypt. Officials with the Islamist group accused Israel of using an airstrike on a vehicle after dark in the town of Rafah on Gaza’s border with Egypt to assassinate two officials in control of tunnels leading into Egyptian territory. » Read more

Did Bibi just throw Romney under the bus? ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Douglas Bloomfield - (Opinion) September 19, 2012 - 12:00am It’s been no secret that Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu would prefer Mitt Romney as president of America. He’s had a very tense relationship with Barack Obama, who came to office intent on restarting a peace process the Israeli prime minister would prefer to see shelved. There has been an ongoing flow of anti-Obama leaks coming out of “sources” in Jerusalem often identified in the Israeli media as “close to the prime minister’s office.” » Read more

Israel's idée fixe of a peace-less status quo is returning ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz (Editorial) September 20, 2012 - 12:00am On the 19th anniversary of the Declaration of Principles (the Oslo I Accord) between Israel and the PLO, and on the 17th anniversary of the Interim Agreement (Oslo II), the Oslo process has hit rock bottom. » Read more

Netanyahu is leading ties with U.S. to the precipice ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Ari Shavit - (Opinion) September 20, 2012 - 12:00am Benjamin Netanyahu was supposed to be a champion in America. He grew up in America, was educated in America and worked in America. He's an expert on American history, understands the American economy and knows American politics. He thinks in American English, and the thing he really believes in is the uniqueness of America. Most of the people he appreciates are American tycoons and intellectuals. » Read more

September 19th

Don't Expect a Romney Intifadeh, the Palestinians Are Used to Disappointment ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Time Magazine by Tony Karon - (Opinion) September 19, 2012 - 12:00am It seems the writing is on the wall for the Palestinians: should Governor Mitt Romney win November’s presidential election, they have no credible reason to expect any help from the U.S. in realizing their national aspirations. In a recent Florida session with donors, a tape of which was posted by Mother Jones, the Republican nominee made clear he believes that a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict — the standing policy of the U.S. » Read more

Handle With Care ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Foreign Policy by Aaron David Miller - (Opinion) September 18, 2012 - 12:00am In a testy exchange with the late Syrian President Hafez al-Assad, James Baker, then the U.S. secretary of state, set a standard in fantasy counterfactuals that I was sure could never be topped. » Read more

Bibi's Blunder ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Foreign Policy by David Rothkopf - (Opinion) September 18, 2012 - 12:00am Starting Sunday evening, we marked the beginning of the Jewish New Year. Numerologists with too much time on their hands noted that the digits of the year 5773 add up to the same numerical value as the word tovah, meaning good. That is supposed to be an omen, I suppose. But ever since Madonna embraced Kabala, I've been dubious about it. I like my omens more concrete and, where possible, drenched in irony. » Read more

Restructuring of PLO Is Key To Palestinian Reconciliation ATFP World Press Roundup Article from As-Safir by Hani al-Masri - (Opinion) September 18, 2012 - 12:00am Following a recent press conference, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said that “reconciliation between [Palestinian] factions means holding elections” and that “there will be no further dialogue with Hamas unless the electoral commission resumes voter registration in the Gaza Strip.” » Read more

Energy Security a Priority for Israel ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Al-Hayat by Walid Khadduri - (Opinion) September 18, 2012 - 12:00am Israel is currently reviewing the policy on gas it intends to adopt in the future, shortly before natural gas production begins in the Tamar field in the spring of 2013. The ministerial committee set up by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and tasked by the government to draft policies on natural gas consumption at home as well as gas exports, finished drafting its final report on August 29, kicking off discussions over its contents. » Read more