Palestinian official condemns Canadian FM's response of suing Israel at ICC ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua March 7, 2013 - 1:00am A senior Palestinian official on Thursday condemned remarks by Canadian Foreign Minister John Baird to cut aid if the Palestinians take Israel to the International Criminal Court (ICC). "We do not know why Canada is showing all this hostility against us," said Saeb Erekat, chief Palestinian peace negotiator. "Those who fear international courts must force Israel to stop its crimes," he said. On Sunday, Baird threatened that there will be consequences in the Canadian-Palestinian relations if a complaint that was filed by Palestinians goes to the ICC. » Read more

Hundreds of arrest warrants issued in Israel against ultra-Orthodox dodging army service ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua March 7, 2013 - 1:00am Hundreds of arrest warrants had been issued in Israel in the past few days against ultra-Orthodox youths dodging military service, the Ma'ariv daily reported Thursday. As hundreds of ultra-Orthodox youths failed to report to the induction centers as required, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) turned to the police to issue arrest warrants. » Read more

Official: Egypt never asked Hamas to quit armed struggle ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency March 8, 2013 - 1:00am Egypt has not asked Hamas to abandon its armed struggle against Israel, a spokesman for the party said Thursday. "Hamas will not leave the armed struggle, and will not respond to this fabricated news," Salah al-Bardawil told Ma'an. Israel's Ynet news reported Thursday that Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood leadership had asked Hamas to "implement jihad in other ways" in order to gain international legitimacy. » Read more

Israel prepares for next war with Hezbollah ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Statesman by Daniel Estrin - March 8, 2013 - 1:00am On a dusty field in Israel's southern desert, the military is gearing up for the next battle against a familiar foe: Hezbollah guerrillas in Lebanon. » Read more

President Obama’s Visit to Israel: Too Little Too Late? ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Media Line by Linda Gradstein - March 6, 2013 - 1:00am Young Israelis Want the President to See their Side A group of students sit around a conference table at the Hadassah Academic College in downtown Jerusalem. They are all majoring in politics and government, and started college only after finishing their mandatory army service. Overall, they are pleased that President Obama is coming to visit Israel, but say he should have come during his first term. » Read more

Israel's Dreaded Tipping Point Has Finally Arrived ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Atlantic by S. Daniel Abraham - (Editorial) March 8, 2013 - 1:00am As President Obama prepares to visit Israel later this month, reports from administration officials indicate that he does not intend to focus on resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, but rather to discuss regional threats such as Iran's pursuit of nuclear weapons and the continuing violence in Syria. But Obama should realize that Israel's continued presence in the West Bank is an existential threat to its continuity as a democratic, Jewish state -- and time is not on Israel's side. » Read more

Obama to Jews: Peace is essential but prospects are bleak ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA) by Ron Kampeas - March 7, 2013 - 1:00am President Obama believes prospects for Israeli-Palestinian peace are “bleak,” but he still will urge both sides to avoid unilateral actions that might further damage a process he hopes will be back on track within a year. That was the message Obama delivered Thursday in a meeting with about 25 Jewish community figures at the White House to discuss his planned trip to Israel later this month. Obama was especially engaged, participants said, when it came to discussing how he might best convey to the Israeli people his enthusiasm for Israel and its Jewish history. » Read more

Is Oslo Dead? ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Foreign Policy by Aaron David Miller - (Interview) March 7, 2013 - 1:00am Oslo -- shorthand for a series of Israeli-Palestinian interim agreements done and undone between 1993 and 1999 -- was a heroic but ultimately failed effort to deal with an interminable problem that still eludes a solution: how to reconcile the conflicting national and religious claims of Israelis and Palestinians to a relatively small piece of real estate situated between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River. » Read more

Obama meets US Jewish leaders ahead of Israel trip ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency March 8, 2013 - 1:00am US President Barack Obama hosted leaders of major American Jewish organizations at the White House on Thursday as he sought to smooth the way for his first presidential visit to Israel later this month. The meeting was a chance for Obama to preview his agenda for the trip, including the Iran nuclear standoff, Syria's civil war and Israel-Palestinian issues, and to reiterate his "unshakable support" for Israel, an administration official said. » Read more

Obama: No 'grand peace plan' during Israel trip ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Associated Press by Julie Pace - March 8, 2013 - 1:00am President Barack Obama is playing down expectations for a Mideast peace breakthrough during his upcoming trip to Israel, telling American Jewish leaders that he won't be carrying a "grand peace plan" when he arrives in the region later this month. » Read more