How Israel's left is missing the point
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from New Statesman
by Ben White - (Blog) July 31, 2011 - 12:00am

While Israeli PM Netanyahu's coalition seems steady, recent events like the response to the new anti-boycott law, the march for Palestinian independence, and the housing protests have some claiming a resurgent "peace camp". Yet the rhetoric by Israel's "left" has merely highlighted how much remains to be done to realise equality and basic Palestinian rights.

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Norway attacks spotlight far-right outreach to Jews, Israel
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA)
by Uriel Heilman - July 28, 2011 - 12:00am

For decades after World War II, far-right political movements in Europe stirred up for Jews images of skinheads and Nazi storm troopers marching across the continent. But in recent years, as European xenophobia has focused on the exploding growth of Muslims on the continent, right-wing anti-Semitism has been replaced in some corners by outreach to Jews and Israel. It’s part of an effort in far-right movements to gain broader, mainstream support for an anti-Muslim alliance opposed to the notion of a multicultural Europe.

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Israel finds itself isolated
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Gulf News
by George S. Hishmeh - (Opinion) July 28, 2011 - 12:00am

Believe it or not, the Arab Spring has descended on Tel Aviv. Tens of thousands of young Israelis have camped in tents along the prestigious Rothschild Boulevard in protest against the housing policy of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing government. Like their counterparts in the Arab world, whom they mimicked, these youth remain hopeful they can achieve revolutionary change within Israel. In their case, the young Israelis want affordable housing in the city.

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A Strike Against Free Speech
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times
by Ahmad Tibi - (Opinion) July 28, 2011 - 12:00am

Free speech in Israel was dealt a severe blow this month when the country’s Parliament passed antiboycott legislation that targets individuals or organizations publicly calling for a boycott against Israel or any area under its control. Because I believe in ending the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territory, equal rights for Palestinians and Jews, and the right of return for Palestinian refugees forced from their homes and lands in 1948, I support boycotting — and calling on others to boycott — all Israeli companies that help perpetuate these injustices.

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In the Occupied Territories, Order Trumps Law
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Forward
by Olga Gershenson - (Opinion) July 27, 2011 - 12:00am

The audience was remarkably quiet during a screening of “The Law in These Parts” at the Jerusalem Film Festival. My fellow Israelis, who usually have no qualms about exchanging opinions during a movie, or even about answering an occasional cell phone call, sat absolutely still. Even after the movie ended, there was a moment of shocked silence before the audience burst into applause and called onstage the director, Ra’anan Alexandrowicz, and the producer, Liran Atzmor. It was very clear which film would win the prize for best documentary.

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Israel needs a real opposition party
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Oudeh Basharat - (Opinion) July 27, 2011 - 12:00am

What do Rothschild Boulevard in Tel Aviv and Tahrir Square in Cairo have in common? Both are the seeing the creation of authentic mass protest movements, and in both countries there is a lack of formal political opposition. In Cairo the opposition is informal. Here there is a formal body called Kadima, which is not an opposition. The Knesset is likely to become confused here between the opposition and the coalition. MK Shai Hermesh of Kadima found himself this week defending himself against an attack by MK Miri Regev of Likud on the issue of housing prices.

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Israel's Foreign Ministry Borrows From the Settlers for Its Propaganda
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jewish Daily Forward
by Gal Beckerman - (Blog) July 27, 2011 - 12:00am

Israel’s deputy foreign minister and Twitter warrior, Danny Ayalon, recently released a video over YouTube that is doing quite well — posted on July 11, it now has nearly 180,000 hits. In it, Ayalon tries to explain why he thinks the West Bank should not be referred to as “occupied” and that settlements are not in effect settlements.

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Israel's Foreign Ministry Borrows From the Settlers for Its Propaganda
Media Mention of Hussein Ibish In The Jewish Daily Forward - July 27, 2011 - 12:00am

Israel’s deputy foreign minister and Twitter warrior, Danny Ayalon, recently released a video over YouTube that is doing quite well — posted on July 11, it now has nearly 180,000 hits. In it, Ayalon tries to explain why he thinks the West Bank should not be referred to as “occupied” and that settlements are not in effect settlements.

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Israel’s Arabs Debate National Service
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Media Line
by David Miller - July 26, 2011 - 12:00am

Hanin Zoabi, a member of Israel’s parliament, was in the Galilee village of Musmus last week to address a group of teenagers about the importance of national service. But she wasn’t there to encourage them to take a year or two after high school to serve in schools and hospitals. One of 14 Arab lawmakers in the Knesset, Zoabi is a determined fighter for the national rights of Palestinians who live inside the country’s 1967 borders against those in the West Bank. She was invited by the youth leadership of her Balad Party to urge young people not to volunteer.

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There is no Arab left-wing in Israel
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Salman Masalha - (Opinion) July 26, 2011 - 12:00am

There's no left without Arabs, states Oudeh Basharat (Haaretz, July 19), adding: "Had the 11 MKs of the Hadash faction and the Arab factions evaporated during the vote on the Boycott Law, the difference in favor of supporters of the law would have increased from nine to 20 votes."

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