October 23rd, 2012

Israel not committed to two-state solution -Carter ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters by Ori Lewis, Maayan Lubell - October 23, 2012 - 12:00am JERUSALEM, Oct 22 (Reuters) - Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter on Monday said the Israeli-Palestinian peace process had reached a crisis point and that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government was not pursuing a two-state solution. "That policy of promoting a two-state solution seems to be abandoned now and we are deeply concerned about this move towards this catastrophic so-called one-state choice ... this is a major concern," Carter told a news conference. » Read more

Romney, Obama pledge Israel backing, agree Iran strike last resort ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters by Tabassum Zakaria - October 23, 2012 - 12:00am WASHINGTON, Oct 23 (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama and Republican challenger Mitt Romney vied on Monday over who was Israel's strongest defender but both agreed that a military strike over Iran's nuclear program must be a "last resort." Tehran's nuclear program, which the West suspects is for developing weapons and that economic sanctions have so far failed to stop, is almost certain to be among the top foreign policy challenges facing the next president. » Read more

Bomb wounds Israeli officer on Gaza border ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters by Maayan Lubell - October 23, 2012 - 12:00am JERUSALEM - An Israeli officer was severely wounded on Tuesday when a bomb went off beside an army patrol along the border with the Gaza Strip, a military spokeswoman said. The attack came hours before the Emir of Qatar arrived in Gaza in the first visit by a head of state to the blockaded enclave since it was taken over in 2007 by the Iranian-backed Islamist Hamas movement. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel will deliver a strong response to the attack. "We will fight and we will hit them very, very hard," Netanyahu said. » Read more

Fatah 'not invited' to meet Qatari emir ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency October 22, 2012 - 12:00am GAZA CITY (Ma'an) -- Fatah has not been invited to meet Qatar's emir who is due to visit the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, a Fatah leader said Monday. Yahya Rabah told Ma'an that Fatah received no invitation from Qatar or the Hamas-led government in Gaza to meet Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani. Rabah, who is based in Gaza, said Fatah was not informed of the reason for the visit or any of the arrangements but said the trip raised questions. » Read more

Qatari emir visits Gaza in boost to Hamas rulers ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press by Ibrahim Barzak - October 23, 2012 - 12:00am GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip —The emir of Qatar received a hero's welcome in Gaza on Tuesday, becoming the first head of state to visit the Palestinian territory since the Islamist militant Hamas seized control of the coastal strip five years ago. » Read more

October 22nd

Romney’s big chance with Jewish voters ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters by Keith Koffler - (Opinion) October 22, 2012 - 12:00am Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney at the Monday foreign policy debate, should play to the Jewish TV audience like he was the star of a Borscht Belt revue. » Read more

Obama’s bad for Israel? His record indicates otherwise ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Times of Israel by Steven L. Spiegel - (Opinion) October 19, 2012 - 12:00am President Obama has been criticized for being antagonistic to or wrong for Israel. Some go so far as to claim that he is the worst president for Israel in American history. Really? » Read more

Why I Refuse to Serve in the IDF ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Daily Beast by Moriel Rothman - (Opinion) October 19, 2012 - 12:00am American Jews actively supported the civil rights movement. Or so goes the popular narrative in the American Jewish community. For the purposes of this piece, let’s call it “The Narrative.” The values that come along with The Narrative are values that have guided me throughout my life: values of nonviolence, values of anti-racism, and values of disobeying unjust laws. » Read more

Christians’ letter is an unworthy tactic ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA) by Noam E. Marans - (Opinion) October 21, 2012 - 12:00am NEW YORK (JTA) -- Iran is threatening Israel, the Middle East and the world with the specter of nuclear weapons. Christians across the Middle East are persecuted and martyred in the repercussions of the so-called Arab Spring. But some American Christian leaders are busy dedicating time, money and resources to their habitual demonization of Israel. » Read more

We condemn Israel. So why the silence on Syria? ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Guardian by Jonathan Freedland - (Opinion) October 19, 2012 - 12:00am We know the government hopes to do nothing, but what about the rest of us? Exactly one year after the death of Muammar Gaddafi, the chances of another round of Libya-style western military intervention, this time for Syria, hover close to zero. Even the hawkish Mitt Romney promises no such thing. Few politicians speak even of non-military options – of which there are many – let alone taking up arms. » Read more