February 27th

The spectre of a third intifada traps the PA in Israel's chains ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The National by Dalia Hatuqa - (Opinion) February 27, 2013 - 1:00am   » Read more

Teachers reject union decision to stop strike ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency February 27, 2013 - 1:00am Many West Bank teachers disagreed with the teachers’ union decision to cancel a general strike announced Saturday in protest against the government’s failure to pay salaries regularly. The teachers’ union speaker Ahmad Suhweil on Tuesday addressed about 1,000 teachers who picketed in front of office of the Palestinian Legislative Council in Ramallah telling them the union decided to end general strike after agreement has been reached with the government. Several teachers opposed the decision, saying they won’t abide by it. » Read more

'Jaradat death probe may include int'l agent' ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post February 27, 2013 - 1:00am Public Security Minister Yitzhak Aharonovitch said Wednesday that Israel is exploring the possibility of involving international agents in the investigation into the death of Palestinian prisoner Arafat Jaradat in Megiddo Prison last week. » Read more

Palestinian clashes set to persist until Obama visit ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Agence France Presse (AFP) February 27, 2013 - 1:00am Clashes that flared in the West Bank after a Palestinian died in Israeli custody are unlikely to turn into a third intifada, but each side will use them when US President Barack Obama visits, commentators say. After several days of unrest following the death of Arafat Jaradat at the weekend, a measure of calm returned to the West Bank on Tuesday, despite an early-morning rocket from Gaza. » Read more

PA, Hamas not interested in escalation ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency February 27, 2013 - 1:00am A third intifada is not likely to erupt in the occupied West Bank, neither a military confrontation is expected between Israel and the Palestinian factions in the Gaza Strip, say Palestinian analysts. Two local analysts highlighted Tuesday that the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank is not interested in a third intifada, because the results would be disastrous. Similarly, Hamas is not interested in ending the ceasefire and resuming military confrontation with Israel forces. » Read more

Senior IDF officer: Violence in West Bank waning, but far from over ATFP World Press Roundup Article from by Gili Cohen - February 26, 2013 - 1:00am A senior officer in the Israel Defense Forces Central Command said Tuesday that the past week’s violence in the West Bank “hasn’t ended yet, although its intensity dropped [Tuesday] significantly compared to recent days.” » Read more

February 26th

Palestinians establish first national disaster loss database with UN help ATFP World Press Roundup Article from United Nations News Service February 25, 2013 - 1:00am With support from the United Nations, Palestinian officials today launched the first database designed to provide information on disaster losses that will help develop planning policies and strengthen community resilience. » Read more

Kerry: Obama plans to 'listen', not present peace plan ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters February 26, 2013 - 1:00am US President Barack Obama will not bring a peace plan for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict next month, but rather intends to listen, Secretary of State John Kerry said on Tuesday. Obama's plan to visit has raised speculation of a new US push to revive Israeli-Palestinian negotiations, stalled since 2010 in a dispute over Israeli settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank. But Kerry, speaking to German students during his first foreign trip as Washington's top diplomat, played down expectations. » Read more

UN peace process envoy to Haaretz: Two-state solution 'on life support' ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Amos Harel - February 26, 2013 - 1:00am The two-state solution is in extremely grave condition, the UN's special coordinator for the Middle East peace process warned in an interview with Haaretz last week. "The two-state solution is now on life support," Robert Serry said. "This is in fact a critical year. Everyone should know that if we do not provide a credible diplomatic horizon for the two-state solution this might lead to very serious results." » Read more

Israel bans Palestinian construction near separation barrier for " security reasons" ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua February 25, 2013 - 1:00am Israel is banning Palestinians from building on more than 1,000 acres of land under the Palestinian civil control adjacent to the separation barrier, the Ha'aretz daily reported on Monday. The lands in question are under Palestinian control according to the 1993 Oslo Accords signed between Israel and the Palestinians. According to the Israeli Defense Forces, the ban is derived from "security reasons." » Read more