International Community | The American Task Force on Palestine

For the U.S., a forced withdrawal from UNESCO
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Los Angeles Times
by Timothy E. Wirth - (Opinion) October 24, 2011 - 12:00am

The Palestinian bid for statehood recognition by the United Nations is almost certain to be rejected if it is taken up by the Security Council. But as early as this week, the governing assembly of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization could grant the Palestinians membership in that organization. If this happens, as is widely expected, the United States would have to resign from UNESCO because of a 20-year-old law forbidding the payment of dues by the U.S. to any U.N. body that accepts Palestine as a member.

Jordan’s King Abdullah on Egypt, Syria and Israel
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Washington Post
by Lally Weymouth - (Interview) October 24, 2011 - 12:00am

LW: How do you see Egypt’s future? KA: I went to Egypt after visiting the U.S. in May. I had a message from the administration for General Tantawi. [Mohammed Hussein Tantawi is head of Egypt’s military ruling council.] WP: How did your visit to Egypt go? KA: With Tantawi — fantastic. We had a very good meeting. WP: It is astounding that Tantawi did not take President Obama’s call for hours the night the Israelis were trapped in their embassy in Egypt.

Inside the tiny Washington group that is 'mainstreaming Palestine'
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Foreign Policy
by Josh Rogin - (Blog) October 19, 2011 - 12:00am

Tonight, when Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad comes to Washington to speak at the annual gala of the American Task Force on Palestine (ATFP), he will be endorsing an organization that is punching well above its weight in the U.S. policy debate over the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Make Israel comply
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Daily Star
(Editorial) October 19, 2011 - 12:00am

The international media focused Tuesday on the prisoner swap between Israel and the Palestinians, highlighting the theme of an end to a five-year saga. The release of more than 1,000 Palestinian detainees and prisoners is certainly a welcome sight, but one must remember that around 10,000 more such cases remain.

Israel’s Mossad gets dragged into latest British political scandal
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Media Line
by Arieh O'Sullivan - (Analysis) October 18, 2011 - 12:00am

British media have speculated that the man behind the fall of their minister of defense was in cahoots with Israel’s famed intelligence agency, Mossad, perhaps unwittingly, as the perfect spy. Adam Werritty, an unofficial “chief of staff” to Defense Minister Liam Fox - a much respected, staunch conservative who quit in disgrace this weekend - boasted extraordinary access, had no security vetting and plotted to overthrow the Iranian regime.

Gilad Shalit exchange: Egypt emerges again as lynchpin in the Middle East
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post
by Ian Black - (Analysis) October 18, 2011 - 12:00am

The Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit has completed the first stage on his journey home to Mizpe Hila, northern Israel, beginning a prisoner swap deal in which hundreds of Palestinian inmates are to be freed in return for the armoured sergeant who was captured in 2006. According to an Israeli military spokesman, Shalit is undergoing assessment at Kerem Shalom, close to the Egyptian-Israeli border, before making his way to the Tel Nof airbase in central Israel, where he will be reunited with his parents and meet the Israeli prime minister, Binyamin Netanyahu.

Palestinian envoy is asked to leave Ottawa after controversial tweet
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Globe and Mail
by Campbell Clark - (Analysis) October 17, 2011 - 12:00am

The Palestinian envoy to Canada has been told she’s not welcome in Ottawa after she tweeted a link to a video that the federal government deemed an offensive diatribe against Jews. Now, Linda Sobeh Ali, the chargé d’affaires of the Palestinian delegation in Ottawa, is just one cut above persona non grata. The Canadian government called her in for a high-level dressing down, made a formal protest to the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank, and has decided to “limit communication” with her until a replacement arrives.

Hamas official: Qatar, Turkey to host prisoners
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency
October 17, 2011 - 12:00am

Hamas leader Mousa Abu Marzouq said on Monday that three countries are willing to host Palestinian detainees set to be released under a recent exchange deal between Hamas and Israel. Marzouq, deputy head of the Hamas politburo, told the London based pan-Arab daily Al-Hayat that Qatar and Turkey had agreed to host exiled prisoners. Al-Hayat mentioned that Syria could also be among the countries willing to receive released detainees. Turkish media said Friday that Turkey would accept all those exiled abroad.

Israel's Shalit eclipses Arab 'Shalloots'
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Gulf News
by Faisal Al Qasim - October 17, 2011 - 12:00am

At long last the famous Israeli captive Gilad Shalit has secured his freedom from his Palestinian captors. Hamas and Israel have come to a prisoner swap agreement at a very dubious time to release Shalit in exchange for over a thousand Palestinian detainees. I bet millions, the world over, have heard of the Israeli soldier, who was captured by Hamas a couple of years ago to the extent that he has become, by all accounts, an international figure. He has been in the news for months and months on end. All American and European media have written extensively about his case.

Turkey aided effort to free Israeli soldier but relations still frosty
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The National
by Thomas Seibert - October 17, 2011 - 12:00am

The Turkish government helped secure the release of the Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit despite political tensions with Israel, officials from both countries said. But analysts warned yesterday that it was too early to tell whether Turkey's involvement in freeing the soldier could lead to improved ties with Israel.

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