Why Unilateralism Won't Work
In Print by Hussein Ibish - The Daily Beast (Opinion) - May 31, 2012 - 12:00am

Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak recently warned that if negotiations with the Palestinians do not yield results soon, Israel might consider "unilateral measures" in the occupied West Bank. He didn't specify what those might be, but several others have suggested that Israel create “temporary” or “provisional” unilaterally-imposed new borders in the territory. This idea is simple, superficially appealing and profoundly dangerous.

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Iran gingerly signaling new willingness to engage with U.S.
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Zvi Barel - (Opinion) May 30, 2012 - 12:00am

"It was March 2004. Mohamed ElBaradei [then chairman of the International Atomic Energy Agency] told me he wanted to come to Tehran, and he arrived quickly. I thought he had come to talk about nuclear issues, but he wanted to talk to me privately. He told me he had visited Washington a week earlier and had told President [George W.] Bush that the United States had to enter direct negotiations with Iran on nuclear issues.

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The Merchant of Venice: A protest within a play
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from BBC News
by Will Gompertz - (Theater Review) May 30, 2012 - 12:00am

An Israeli theatre company performing a Hebrew production of The Merchant of Venice - Shakespeare's troublesome play about anti-Semitism - arrived at London's Globe Theatre amid calls for and against a boycott. Cue action on and off stage. A festival consisting of all 37 of Shakespeare's plays performed in a short space of time is likely to induce some confusion into the mind of even the bard's most ardent fan. Richards can become muddled with Henrys, shipwreck locations misplaced.

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Israel steps up security ties with China
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press
by Josef Federman - May 25, 2012 - 12:00am

JERUSALEM — After a prolonged chill, security ties between Israel and China are warming up. With Israel offering much-needed technical expertise and China representing a huge new market and influential voice in the international debate over Iran's nuclear program, the two nations have stepped up military cooperation as they patch up a rift caused by a pair of failed arms deals scuttled by the U.S.

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Israel violates Egypt-brokered prisoner deal: PNA
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua
May 22, 2012 - 12:00am

RAMALLAH, May 22 (Xinhua) -- The Palestinian National Authority (PNA) said on Tuesday that Israel has violated an Egypt-brokered prisoner deal that demands the transfer of 18 Palestinians it jailed from solitary confinement to regular cells. Palestinian Minister of Prisoners Affairs Eissa Qaraqe' said Israel is still holding one prisoner in solitary confinement, pointing to its "intention to evade the articles of the agreement. "

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Lieberman is 'unbearable', says Austrian minister
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press
May 21, 2012 - 12:00am

VIENNA // Austria's defence minister has called Israel's foreign minister, Avigdor Lieberman, "unbearable" because of his insistence on hawkish policies regarding the Middle East peace process and Iran. Sunday newspaper Die Presse quoted Norbert Darabos as saying that Israel's government is using "external enemies" to divert attention from domestic social problems. The centre-left politician is also quoted as saying that Mr Lieberman "is unbearable as a member of the Israeli government."

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Informal talks still have a role
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Bitterlemons
by Ghassan Khatib - (Opinion) May 14, 2012 - 12:00am

"Track II" or informal diplomacy played its most significant and constructive role in the history of Israeli-Palestinian relations prior to the Oslo breakthrough when the Palestine Liberation Organization started direct negotiations with the Israeli government. The reason track II talks flourished at that time--the late eighties and early nineties--was that Israel was refusing to deal directly with the Palestinian leadership.

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Fayyad: Netanyahu Responsible for Health of Striking Prisoners
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency
May 4, 2012 - 12:00am

RAMALLAH (Ma’an) -- The prime minister in Ramallah said Thursday that his counterpart in Israel was ultimately responsible for the wellbeing of Palestinian prisoners. 

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Rabin Killer’s Brother Released From Israel Prison
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press
by Tia Goldenberg - May 4, 2012 - 12:00am

JERUSALEM — The unrepentant brother of the man who killed Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin was released from prison Friday after serving 16½ years for complicity in a murder that stunned Israel and according to some destroyed an opportunity for peace.

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Palestinian Hunger Strikers Appeal to Israeli Court
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters
by Jihan Abdalla - May 3, 2012 - 12:00am

  JERUSALEM, May 3 (Reuters) - Facing Israel's highest court in their wheelchairs, two Palestinian prisoners on the 66th day of their hunger strike appealed on Thursday for their release from detention without trial.

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