February 14th, 2013

Status quo of Israel’s West Bank occupation is catastrophic illusion ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Carlo Strenger - (Opinion) February 13, 2013 - 1:00am Obviously Israel’s political attention is focused on the ongoing negotiations for the next coalition. This may be the reason why one of the most important opinion pieces that have been published here in the last years went all but unnoticed, Ruth Gavison’s ‘By Ignoring International Law Israel only Hurts itself’.  » Read more

Israeli soldiers wound man near Syrian Golan fence ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters by Dominic Evans, Dan Williams - February 13, 2013 - 1:00am Israeli soldiers shot across the ceasefire line with Syria on the occupied Golan Heights on Wednesday, wounding a man who approached the boundary fence despite their orders to turn away, military sources said. The Golan, which Israel seized from Syria in a 1967 war and later annexed, has been largely untouched by the 24-month-old revolt rocking Damascus. But Israel has been on guard for violent spillovers or refugee influxes on the strategic plateau. » Read more

Better Late than Never? ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Weekly Standard by Elliott Abrams - February 18, 2013 - 1:00am   » Read more

Vandals desecrate Muslim cemetery in Jerusalem ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press February 14, 2013 - 1:00am Israeli police say vandals have sprayed a dozen Muslim graves in a Jerusalem cemetery with graffiti in a politically motivated act. Spokesman Micky Rosenfeld says the phrase "price tag" was sprayed in Hebrew over the graves early on Thursday. The term is used by a tiny fringe of extremists to protest Israeli policy they view as favoring Palestinians. Israeli military bases, churches and mosques have also been targeted. Rosenfeld says police are investigating. » Read more

Rights group: Israel violated laws of war in Gaza ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press by Diaa Hadid - February 13, 2013 - 1:00am A U.S.-based rights group said Israel violated laws of war in a series of airstrikes it conducted during an eight-day military operation last November against Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip. Human Rights Watch said it counted 14 airstrikes in which there didn't appear to be a valid military target, and four others targeting militants, but which used disproportionate force. » Read more

Rising From Ruins ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times by Raja Shehadeh - (Opinion) February 13, 2013 - 1:00am   » Read more

Palestine ready to engage in peace process: Palestinian FM ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua February 14, 2013 - 1:00am Palestinian Foreign Affairs Minister Riad al-Maliki said here Thursday that Palestine was willing and ready to engage in peace process with Israel if it could show more of readiness in the process. Al-Maliki made the remarks at a press conference after the first meeting of the Conference on Cooperation among East Asian Countries for Palestine Development (CEAPAD). He said Palestine has been "very much willing and ready to engage into peace process with Israel," but emphasized that the process depends on the attitude of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. » Read more

Hamas, Fatah ‘not serious about reconciliation’ ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Gulf News by Nasouh Nazzal - February 13, 2013 - 1:00am Palestinian rival factions Fatah and Hamas are not serious about achieving Palestinian internal unity and the recent Cairo meetings were only aimed at appeasing the Palestinian street, said a senior Palestinian official. » Read more

Seven decisions the U.S. must make to jumpstart Middle East peace ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Daniel Kurtzer - (Opinion) February 14, 2013 - 1:00am   » Read more

Abbas: Hamas opposes elections ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency February 14, 2013 - 1:00am Fatah leader President Mahmoud Abbas says elections will be the basis to end the division, but that Hamas opposes a vote "at this stage." "An agreement has been reached with Hamas that we form a unity government to be headed by me, then we have parliamentary elections and Palestinian National Council elections three months after the Central Elections Commission is ready for elections," Abbas said at a meeting in Ramallah with newly-elected mayors and a delegation of senior PA officials. » Read more