February 6th

Secretary of State Kerry to visit Israel, PA ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Attila Somfalvi - February 6, 2013 - 1:00am US Secretary of State John Kerry is planning to visit the Palestinian Authority in mid February, the Palestinian newspaper Al-Quds reported Wednesday, citing "sources in the know." This will be Kerry's first visit to the region since taking office. » Read more

Will Obama’s planned Israel visit revive Israel-Palestinian peacemaking? ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA) by Ron Kampeas - (Analysis) February 5, 2013 - 1:00am   Is President Obama's plan to visit Israel a sign that he’s ready to take another shot at Israeli-Palestinian peacemaking? » Read more

Israel unlikely to retaliate after Bulgaria report ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Associated Press by Tia Goldenberg - February 5, 2013 - 1:00am Israel on Tuesday welcomed a Bulgarian report implicating Hezbollah in the deaths of five Israelis in a bus bombing last summer, signaling that it will use the findings to focus on a diplomatic battle rather than military retaliation against the Lebanese militant group. Israel has long blamed Hezbollah for the attack, which targeted a bus carrying Israeli tourists in the Black Sea resort town of Burgas. » Read more

PA security man found dead in Ramallah ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Khaled Abu Toameh - February 6, 2013 - 1:00am The body of a Palestinian security officer was discovered on Tuesday in his apartment in Ramallah. The officer, Hassan Jalayta, 40, from Jericho, had been summoned for questioning by his commanders. Jalayta left his family home in Jericho on Tuesday morning and was supposed to report for questioning, but did not show up, a Palestinian Authority security source said. The source did not say why the officer, who worked for the Preventive Security Service, had been summoned for questioning in Ramallah. » Read more

Israel's Netanyahu hits snags in building team ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Associated Press by Josef Federman - February 5, 2013 - 1:00am As Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu prepares to take office for a third time, his attempts to form a new coalition government have gotten off to a rocky start. » Read more

Finance minister: PA budget $3.6 billion for 2013 ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency February 5, 2013 - 1:00am The Palestinian Authority government is working on a draft budget of $3.6 billion for 2013, set for approval by the end of the month, the PA finance minister said Tuesday. The budget contains a number of measures to try and reduce the budget deficit and increase revenues, Nabil Qassis told Ma'an. “We decided to adopt a united taxation system in attempt to limit tax evasion. In addition, we raised taxes on car imports and purchase, and these procedures are expected to yield $50 million a year,” he said. » Read more

A time to dream in Washington, D.C. ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Daily Star by Rami Khouri - (Opinion) February 6, 2013 - 1:00am We will find out in coming months whether the second term of the Obamaadministration will herald any significant changes in  » Read more

Gaza rights groups question police use of force ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency February 6, 2013 - 1:00am Human rights groups in the Gaza Strip are calling for authorities to investigate police use of force against civilians after the death of a suspected drug trafficker last week. Atiya Suleiman Qishta, 41, was killed on Saturday after he was shot in the back by an anti-drug unit of the Gaza police force. Police sources told the Palestinian Center for Human Rights that eight officers laid an ambush for the car as part of an attempted drug bust, but when Qishta stepped out of the vehicle he refused police orders to stop and attempted to flee. » Read more

Ahmadinejad: Iran already a nuclear state, but has no intention of launching attack on Israel ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Jack Khoury - February 6, 2013 - 1:00am Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad says that while Iran is already a nuclear state, it has no intention of attacking Israel. » Read more

Obama's Israel visit may mark rebirth of 'centrality' of the Palestinian conflict ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Chemi Shalev - (Opinion) February 6, 2013 - 1:00am As George Mallory famously said about Mount Everest, President Obamais going to visit Israel, first and foremost, “because it’s there.” After the heaps of criticism and mounds of condemnation hurled at him for avoiding Israel after his Cairo speech and throughout his first term, there was no way that Obama was going to let Air Force 1 enter Middle East air space wit » Read more