May 16th, 2012

Palestinian prisoner deal shows non-violence works ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters by Ali Sawafta - May 16, 2012 - 12:00am RAMALLAH, West Bank, May 15 (Reuters) - Standing up to Israel through non-violent resistance can produce encouraging results, Palestinians said on Tuesday, after a prisoner hunger strike produced some Israeli concessions. The deal under which some 1,600 Palestinian prisoners agreed on Monday to end a month-long fast against Israel's prison policy was struck on the eve of Nakba (catastrophe) Day that marks Israel's founding in a 1948 war when hundreds of thousands of Palestinians fled or were driven out of their homes. » Read more

Palestinian anti-corruption chief: Aide of late leader Arafat suspected of stealing millions ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press May 16, 2012 - 12:00am RAMALLAH, West Bank — The shadowy financial adviser of the late Yasser Arafat is being sought on suspicion he stole millions of dollars in public funds, the top Palestinian anti-corruption campaigner said Wednesday. It is the highest profile investigation since President Mahmoud Abbas’ Palestinian Authority established an Anti-Corruption Commission and a special court two years ago to deal with such cases, the panel’s chief, Rafik Natche, told The Associated Press. » Read more

Palestinians face hurdles to a greener West Bank ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press by Daniella Cheslow - May 16, 2012 - 12:00am RAMALLAH, West Bank — After years of neglect, the Palestinians are going green. In a society preoccupied with the struggle for independence from Israel, protecting the environment has often been sidelined — as evidenced by the ubiquitous sight of burning trash and piles of garbage bags on sidewalks in this city of 30,000 north of Jerusalem. » Read more

Hamas condemns PA cabinet reshuffle ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency May 16, 2012 - 12:00am BETHLEHEM (Ma'an) – The reshuffled Palestinian Authority government will be sworn in Wednesday at 6 p.m. officials said, in a move that Hamas condemned and labeled illegitimate. This is the second reshuffle for the Ramallah-based government which was first established in June 2007 under Salam Fayyad. In the new government, Fayyad is expected to lose his post as finance minister. Other changes include a new portfolio for Jerusalem while the education ministry will be split from the higher education post. » Read more

Officials: Palestinian PM reshuffles Cabinet ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press by Karin Laub - May 16, 2012 - 12:00am RAMALLAH, West Bank — Palestinian officials say Prime Minister Salam Fayyad is replacing almost half of his West Bank-based Cabinet. The reshuffle is a clear sign that efforts to end the Palestinian political split and blend separate governments in the West Bank and Gaza are stuck. The West Bank is run by internationally backed pragmatists while the militant Hamas is in charge in Gaza since a violent 2007 takeover. A Palestinian unity deal has been held up by repeated disagreements. » Read more

May 15th

Political climate in Jordan boiling ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Winnipeg Free Press by Samuel Segev - (Opinion) May 15, 2012 - 12:00am What is going on in Jordan? For some time, the political climate in the kingdom has been boiling. In the last six months, King Abdullah has been forced to change his government three times, but demonstrations against the monarch continue. Luckily for him, there is no immediate danger of his overthrow. The reasons for the constant tension in the kingdom are abundant: unemployment, high cost of living, a rise in the power of the Islamists and the struggle between the Bedouins and the Palestinians, who constitute a majority in the country. » Read more

Ingenious Political Coup Or Insidious Political Scheme ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Huffington Post by Alon Ben-Meir - (Blog) May 14, 2012 - 12:00am Prime Minister Netanyahu's move to expand his coalition to include Kadima with 28 Knesset members provides him with a majority of 94 out of 120 parliamentarians and represents nothing short of an ingenious political coup or an insidious political scheme, depending on what he does with his historic mandate. Reaching a peace agreement with the Palestinians and bridging the social gap must be first and foremost on his national agenda. » Read more

Arafat-Sharon talks? ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The National (Editorial) May 16, 2012 - 12:00am So you write a letter to a congressman expressing concern over House Resolution 268, a resolution that reaffirms US commitment "to a negotiated settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict". And then you wait. A year later, you receive a response dated April 20, 2012. But it might as well have been dated 2002. » Read more

Settler policy rests on history of Israel's tactical deceptions ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The National by Tony Karon - (Opinion) May 16, 2012 - 12:00am The US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last week, urging him to use his new unity government to advance the peace process with the Palestinians. In particular, she looked forward to Mr Netanyahu's reply to a letter from Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, so that the two could resume negotiations as soon as possible. » Read more

Ambassador Maen Rashid Areikat: For a more constructive Congress on Palestine ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Hill by Maen Areikat - (Opinion) May 14, 2012 - 12:00am The past few weeks have seen interesting statements by several former and current Israeli officials criticizing the policies of their government. They particularly focused on Israel’s failure to engage in talks with the Palestinians to end the conflict. » Read more