September 10th, 2012

The dwarfs of Oslo ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Salman Masalha - (Opinion) September 10, 2012 - 12:00am In 1993, the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to two African leaders: Nelson Mandela and Frederik Willem de Klerk. The award went to them for bringing to an end the apartheid regime in South Africa by peaceful means. These two leaders were certainly deserving of the prestigious prize. » Read more

‘Low Stool,’ the sequel ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Alon Liel - (Opinion) September 10, 2012 - 12:00am Hollywood always recycles successful movies. Thus we had the privilege of seeing “The Godfather 2” and “Superman 2,” as well as many others that were not always such wonderful productions. In our region, too, they have learned to recycle successes, and sometimes also failures. So we got the Second Intifada and the Second Lebanon War. But now we seem to have done even better: Someone in the Israeli government has decided to recycle the “Low Stool” and we have now witnessed the horrifying turn of events in “Low Stool 2.” » Read more

Great year for settlers ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Hagai Segal - (Opinion) September 10, 2012 - 12:00am I admit that the recent evacuation of the Migron outpost in the West Bank did not upset me too much. It was a sad day for those who support the settlement enterprise, and maybe for any Israeli with some sense of compassion, but it was not a major disaster. Comparing it to the uprooting of Yamit or the disengagement from Gaza is ridiculous. » Read more

Someone tell the Palestinians: It's the occupation, stupid! ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Amira Hass - (Opinion) September 10, 2012 - 12:00am “Geniuses,” I said to myself when dozens of trucks and taxis blocked traffic in the heart of Hebron last Wednesday in protest against the price hikes. “Geniuses,” I continued to think when four hours later I passed by the same place, and heard that other demonstrators had set fire to an effigy of Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Salam Fayyad. » Read more

News Analysis: Palestinians' second UN bid a cry for economic aid ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua by Adam Gonn - September 10, 2012 - 12:00am JERUSALEM, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian National Authority ( PNA) President Mahmoud Abbas on Saturday announced that he will -- once again -- seek United Nations recognition for Palestine as a non-member state. Last year, Abbas asked the UN to upgrade the status of Palestine from non-member entity to non-member state, and to recognize it as a state under occupation along the post-1967 war lines. » Read more

News Analysis: Gaza Salafi militants attempt to drag Hamas into war with Israel ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua by Saud Abu Ramadan - (Analysis) September 10, 2012 - 12:00am GAZA, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- Despite a calm agreement mediated by Egypt between Israel and the Islamic Hamas movement, which rules the Gaza Strip, extremist Islamic Salafi Jihad (Holy War) militants haven't stopped firing rockets from the enclave at southern Israel in an attempt to drag Hamas into a war with Israel. Minor militant groups, mainly the Salafis, never recognized the deal brokered in early 2009 and kept firing rockets at Israel until now. » Read more

Palestinians languish in long wait for critical medical care ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Daily Star by Alex Taylor - September 10, 2012 - 12:00am BEIRUT: Mohammad Twieh, an 18-year-old resident of Nahr al-Bared refugee camp, was told as a child he would not survive to adulthood without a liver transplant by 2007. » Read more

Revoking citizenships: The future of Palestinians in Jordan ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Al-Arabiya by Ali Younes - September 10, 2012 - 12:00am For former Jordanian citizen Akram abu al-Reish the reality of finding himself overnight a stateless person without any documentation to prove his legal existence was a very harsh reality that he and his family had to contend with since 2008. Although he was born and raised in Jordan and of Palestinian origins, his ordeal started when he was summoned to the Jordanian Interior ministry and was ordered to surrender his Jordanian passport, his driver license and his national number. He was offered no explanation, and practically was kicked out to the street. » Read more

For Palestinian Kids in Hebron, Little Joy on Back-to-School Day ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Al-Monitor by Lena Odgaard - September 9, 2012 - 12:00am HEBRON — Catching up with friends, showing off new clothes and getting new books — for most kids, the first day of school is exciting. But for Palestinian children who live in or go to school in the Old City of Hebron, the day is nothing to look forward to. Here, crossing checkpoints manned by heavily armed Israeli soldiers and dodging barbs and attacks from Israeli settlers are unfortunate parts of an ordinary school day. » Read more

Israel's West Bank university upgrade escalates row ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Guardian by Harriet Sherwood - September 9, 2012 - 12:00am The Israeli cabinet has voted to upgrade an educational institution in the West Bank settlement of Ariel to a fully-fledged university in a controversial step likely to fuel the international boycott movement. » Read more