March 21st

Hamas May Become Viable Negotiating Partner ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'ariv by Nachman Shai - (Opinion) March 14, 2012 - 12:00am In the present confrontation between Israel and the Popular Resistance Committees, Israel has been treading very carefully. As of the writing of these lines, we have been very fortunate. The cutting-edge technological systems developed by Israel have been doing their jobs in the best possible manner. Regarding the offensive-attack perspective, Israeli drones have struck targets on the ground with surgical precision based on reliable intelligence information. They have succeeded in stopping missiles from being fired with minimal harm to innocent bystanders. » Read more

The Golan Heights are Waiting for the Revolution ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Dar Al-Hayat by Husam Itani - (Opinion) March 20, 2012 - 12:00am An important progress was achieved with respect to studying the Syrian society, its constituents, and the factors that affected it throughout the year that has elapsed since the revolution started. On the other hand, the issue of the conflict with Israel remains a taboo and a prejudice. » Read more

Toulouse Tragedy Shows Depth of Hatred ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jewish Daily Forward by Robert Zaretsky - (Opinion) March 21, 2012 - 12:00am France, and the rest of the world, is still reeling from the shock of events in Toulouse, where a lone gunman killed a teacher and three children at a local Sephardic Jewish school on March 19. In the coming days, all of us ardently hope that we will learn not about another massacre, but instead of the capture of the killer. But in the confusion and uncertainty of the moment, it is important to recall what we know, and what we don’t know, about this event. » Read more

Study: Israel’s Social Protests Caused Drop in Racist Incidents Against Arabs ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Jack Khoury - March 20, 2012 - 12:00am Incidents of racism and intolerance between across Israeli ethnic groups are on the decline, a new report published on Monday concluded. According to data compiled by the Coalition against Racism in Israel, is composed of Jewish and Arab human rights groups, the number of reported incidences of racism committed by Jewish Israelis against Arab Israelis fell from 91 in 2009 and 68 in 2010 to only 20 in 2011. » Read more

Abbas Meets Family of Hunger Striker Held by Israel ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua March 20, 2012 - 12:00am RAMALLAH, March 20 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Tuesday received at his office the family of a hunger striking woman held in Israel, accusing Israel not respecting the lives of Palestinian detainees. The parents of Hana Shalabi came to Abbas' office in the West Bank city of Ramallah after reports said their daughter was taken to the hospital due to her deteriorated health. 30-year-old Shalabi, who has been hunger striking for 34 days, demands an end to her administrative detention, an Israeli rule under which detainees can be held for years without a trial. » Read more

The Curse of the Straw Man: Reflections on How we Argue About Iran ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Shalom Hartman Institute by Tal Becker - (Analysis) March 20, 2012 - 12:00am What would we do without the straw man, without the ability to make a caricature of the position we want to argue against? How many op-eds, debates and political speeches count on the ability to present a dumbed-down version of the position we contest, and then revel in knocking it down? » Read more

Hamas Denies Reports of Iranian Experts Aiding Militants ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua March 20, 2012 - 12:00am GAZA, March 20 (Xinhua) -- A senior Hamas official on Tuesday denied media reports saying that Iranian military experts were helping Gaza militant groups to develop weapons and upgrade their capabilities for a future confrontation with Israel. "These reports are fabricated and aim to justify (Israeli) military aggression against Gaza," Mahmoud Zahar, a member of Hamas' politburo, told Xinhua. On Monday, Israel's Haaretz newspaper reported that some Iranian experts were in the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip to help the militant groups based in the coastal enclave. » Read more

J Street Hopes To Return Focus to Peace at Annual Conference ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jewish Daily Forward by Nathan Guttman - (Opinion) March 20, 2012 - 12:00am WASHINGTON — As J Street, the self-styled pro-peace, pro-Israel lobby, opens its annual conference this year, it does so at a time of unparalleled growth for the group, and serious setbacks for its cause. With talk of war with Iran dominating Israeli–American discourse, the dovish lobby is working hard to return the Palestinian issue to center stage. » Read more

Hamas: Fatah Prefers US Dollars to National Agreements ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency March 21, 2012 - 12:00am GAZA CITY (Ma'an) -- Fatah has not implemented any of its reconciliation commitments because it prefers American money to national agreements, a spokesman for the Hamas-led government in Gaza said Monday. Taher al-Nunu said in a statement that Fatah is trying to destroy the reconciliation agreement it signed with Hamas last May. Al-Nunu's remarks were made in response to comments by senior Fatah official Azzam al-Ahmad, who said Hamas was responsible for the ongoing delay in forming a unity government. » Read more

Answering My Critics on Zionist BDS ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Daily Beast by Peter Beinart - (Blog) March 20, 2012 - 12:00am My New York Times op-ed proposing that American Jews boycott the West Bank (excluding East Jerusalem) and instead spend their money inside the green line has prompted three basic right-wing critiques. (There are plenty of left-wing ones too, but I’ll have to answer them later). » Read more