October 10th, 2012

Is Romney's foreign policy a radical departure from Obama's? ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Guardian by Chris McGreal - (Opinion) October 8, 2012 - 12:00am Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney has given his most detailed foreign policy speech to date. But how does Romney's vision for America's place in the world compare to the policies currently being pursued by the Obama administration – and there any contradictions? Syria » Read more

Romney spares details as he hits Obama on foreign policy ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters by Andrew Quinn - (Analysis) October 8, 2012 - 12:00am WASHINGTON, Oct 8 (Reuters) - Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney on Monday ratcheted up his campaign to cast President Barack Obama as a weak steward of U.S. power, but offered few specific clues about how he would handle world crises differently. » Read more

Where Settler Terrorism Comes From ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Daily Beast by Hussein Ibish - (Opinion) October 9, 2012 - 12:00am Following a series of violent incidents involving settler and pro-settler Jewish Israeli extremists, including the attempted lynching of a Palestinian youth in Jerusalem, many Israelis expressed concern about the rise in violent hatred within their society and wondered where it was coming from. Several incidents over the weekend demonstrated that this trend is only intensifying and clearly pointed to why. » Read more

Palestinians set first private sector minimum wage ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Agence France Presse (AFP) October 9, 2012 - 12:00am RAMALLAH, Palestinian Territories — The Palestinian government on Tuesday approved a minimum wage of 1,450 shekels ($376, 290 euros) a month for the private sector, labour minister Ahmed Majdalani said. "This is an unprecedented decision... on which we can build," Majdalani told AFP, dismissing criticism that the rate was to low. » Read more

West Bank cash crisis as donors fail to pay ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Independent by Matthew Kalman - October 10, 2012 - 12:00am The Palestinian Authority, facing a major cash crisis, has warned 150,000 employees it does not know when they will receive their September salaries. » Read more

Arab unemployment higher than previously thought ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Ilene Prusher - October 9, 2012 - 12:00am The rate of unemployment among Arabs in Israel is much higher than previously believed, according to a new analysis by Professor Eran Yashiv, chairman of the Economic Policy Program at Tel Aviv University’s Taub Center. » Read more

IDF may reinstitute Arabic translations in West Bank military courts ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Amira Hass - October 10, 2012 - 12:00am The IDF is willing to resume its one-time habit of translating into Arabic the indictments it submits to military courts in the West Bank, but insists there is no need or duty to translate other documents, such as verdicts or court transcripts. The IDF's position was included in the state's response to a petition submitted to the High Court of Justice by four Palestinian attorneys, who claimed that the fact that all documents in military courts are exclusively in Hebrew damages defendants' rights to due process. » Read more

Gaza ministry to investigate journalist complaints ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency October 10, 2012 - 12:00am GAZA CITY (Ma'an) -- The Gaza Ministry of Interior will launch an inquiry into complaints by journalists against reporting restrictions in the coastal enclave, a spokesman said Wednesday. Interior minister Fathi Hammad issued the decision to form the committee, ministry spokesman Islam Shahwan said. He called on the media to cooperate with the committee. » Read more

Hidden health crisis facing Palestinian refugees in Lebanon ATFP World Press Roundup Article from IRIN October 10, 2012 - 12:00am JOHANNESBURG (IRIN) -- New research has uncovered the hidden health toll that refugee life in Lebanon has taken on more than 400,000 Palestinians. » Read more

Will Palestinians accept Romney's outstretched hand? ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Christian Science Monitor by Joshua Mitnick - October 9, 2012 - 12:00am Tel Aviv, Israel Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney has softened his message to Palestinians, even as he makes mending ties with Israel a main foreign policy plank. » Read more