October 18th, 2012

Palestinians urged by Britain to delay 'non-member state' bid at UN ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Guardian by Harriet Sherwood - October 17, 2012 - 12:00am Britain is urging the Palestinian leadership to delay its bid for upgraded status at the United Nations general assembly, warning that the move is likely to be detrimental to US re-engagement with the peace process following next month's presidential election. » Read more

American Troops Arrive in Israel for Defense Drill ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times by Isabel Kershner - October 17, 2012 - 12:00am JERUSALEM — The first of 1,000 United States troops have begun to arrive in Israel to take part in a joint missile-defense exercise, which the lead American planner described on Wednesday as the largest in the history of the two countries’ relationship and a testament to the strength of their military ties. » Read more

October 17th

The Danger of Banning Anti-Zionist Protests ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Atlantic by Wendy Kaminer - (Opinion) October 16, 2012 - 12:00am Jewish Americans of my parents' generation endured open, outright, self-righteous discrimination in employment, education, and public accommodations -- discrimination that was not just respectable but legal until the passage of mid 20th century civil rights laws. They lived through World War II, witnessing the Holocaust not as history but in real time. Speaking from experience, they bequeathed to us one wry definition of an anti-Semite as "someone who hates Jews more than he should." » Read more

Stick a Label On It, Israel ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Daily Beast by Hannah Weisfeld - (Opinion) October 16, 2012 - 12:00am There is, apparently, much concern in Jerusalem over renewed attempts within Europe, led by the Danes, to force Israel to label products being exported from the West Bank with their place of origin. The goods are not party to the preferential EU-Israel trade agreement, and there is increasing pressure from consumers to know where the goods are produced. » Read more

Ulterior motives ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Daily Star (Editorial) October 17, 2012 - 12:00am Palestine has once again faced vocal rejection of its statehood bid, this time in a statement from the United States declaring that such a move would set back the peace process. The U.S. has said the decision must include Israel, and has further warned European countries, in a private memo, not to support Palestine’s bid. » Read more

Hamas redefines itself after leaving Syria for new allies ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The National by Dalia Hatuqa - (Opinion) October 17, 2012 - 12:00am This month, Hamas's political leader Khaled Meshaal took part in a conference hosted by Turkey's ruling AKP party. A commentator on Syria's state-run Al Dunya television channel compared Mr Meshaal to "an orphan" looking for shelter after being rebuffed by other countries, further admonishing the group's leader for his seeming ingratitude to Syria. » Read more

Binational reality ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz (Editorial) October 17, 2012 - 12:00am With the start of the election campaign, the major parties are displaying a worrying tendency to put social, economic and security issues at the top of the agenda while evading the diplomatic issue at the root of Israel's democratic identity. » Read more

Only one Israeli leader can unseat Netanyahu: Netanyahu ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Bradley Burston - (Opinion) October 16, 2012 - 12:00am In the Israeli electoral landscape, there is only one leader capable of unseating Benjamin Netanyahu. He's done it before, more than once, and if current indications hold, he can surely do it again. With some 100 days remaining before Israelis go to the polls, the prime minister has but one serious rival standing between him and re-election: Benjamin Netanyahu. » Read more

Arafat widow questioned in French murder probe: source ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Agence France Presse (AFP) October 17, 2012 - 12:00am French investigators probing the death of Yasser Arafat questioned his widow Suha, who claims the veteran Palestinian leader may have been poisoned, in France in mid-September, a source told AFP Wednesday. France opened a murder enquiry in late August after Arafat’s family launched legal action following reports he may have died from radioactive polonium near Paris in 2004. » Read more

Arafat death probe to Ramallah next month: Palestinian ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Agence France Presse (AFP) October 16, 2012 - 12:00am RAMALLAH, Palestinian Territories — French investigators into the death of Yasser Arafat will arrive on November 26 in Ramallah, where the former Palestinian leader is entombed, a Palestinian source familiar with the case said on Tuesday. » Read more