Bieber: Netanyahu meeting never scheduled
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews
by Raz Shechnik - April 13, 2011 - 12:00am

Justin Bieber never intended to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his manager told Yedioth Ahronoth Tuesday in response to reports that the teen idol had refused to hold such a meeting after discovering that children from the Gaza vicinity would also be in attendance. "We never asked to meet with (Netanyahu) nor has anyone connected with us asked to meet him," Scooter Braun told the paper.

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What the “Israeli Peace Initiative” has to offer
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from NOW Lebanon
by Hussein Ibish - (Opinion) April 12, 2011 - 12:00am

On April 6, a group of prominent Israelis released the “Israeli Peace Initiative,” an answer to the Peace Initiative adopted by the Arab League in 2002. The biggest difference between the two documents is that one is official, formally adopted by a large group of states, and the other is a civil society initiative. This puts the two documents on significantly unequal footing. However, the new Israeli private initiative bears serious consideration, given the paucity of any other Israeli response to the API and the lack of diplomatic activity generally.

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Even Bibi is getting caught up in Biebermania
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Yael Gaton, Barak Ravid - April 12, 2011 - 12:00am

The throngs of tween girls who mobbed Justin Beiber upon his arrival in Israel on Monday aren't alone. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu apparently has a hankering for the Canadian pop idol as well. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will host Bieber at his office on Wednesday evening. Netanyahu's office said the young singer and his manager were the ones who had asked for the meeting and the prime minister consented.

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What the “Israeli Peace Initiative” has to offer
In Print by Hussein Ibish - NOW Lebanon - April 12, 2011 - 12:00am

On April 6, a group of prominent Israelis released the “Israeli Peace Initiative,” an answer to the Peace Initiative adopted by the Arab League in 2002. The biggest difference between the two documents is that one is official, formally adopted by a large group of states, and the other is a civil society initiative. This puts the two documents on significantly unequal footing. However, the new Israeli private initiative bears serious consideration, given the paucity of any other Israeli response to the API and the lack of diplomatic activity generally.

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Arab revolutions and the Israeli role
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Asharq Alawsat
by Osman Mirghani - (Opinion) April 7, 2011 - 12:00am

Responding to the ongoing demonstrations that are taking place in a number of cities, Syrian officials spoke of a conspiracy against the country, hinting that Israel were behind this, due to Syria's "national role." The intimations of a conspiracy were mentioned several times by President Bashar al-Assad in his recent speech in which he said that there is significance in the city of Deraa being chosen as the starting point for anti-governmental demonstrations.

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Poll: Majority of Egyptians support maintaining Israel peace
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
April 7, 2011 - 12:00am

A poll conducted by The International Peace Institute published by the Wall Street Journal on Thursday shows that a majority of Egyptians would like to see a continuation of the peace treaty with Israel. "Maintaining and advancing peace with Israel has far wider appeal than a rupture in relations," reads the report on the poll, citing 60 percent of those polled as supporting maintaining the peace treaty with Israel. Those polled added, however, that they are also vying for the creation of an independent Palestinian State.

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Warning by Israeli on U.N. Nod to Palestinians
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times
by Dan Bilefsky - April 7, 2011 - 12:00am

President Shimon Peres of Israel warned Thursday against potential attempts by the United Nations to impose a Palestinian state on Israel and said that the recent recanting of the harshest conclusions by the author of a United Nations report accusing Israel of war crimes was insufficient to undo the “libels” caused to Israel’s reputation.

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Germany Pushes Israelis on Peace
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times
by Judy Dempsey - April 7, 2011 - 12:00am

As Germany moves closer to other European countries in adopting an increasingly tough stance toward Israel’s reluctance to resume peace negotiations with the Palestinians, Chancellor Angela Merkel said Thursday that it was more urgent than ever that the talks be restarted. With the Middle East highly volatile as fighting and protests continue in a number of countries, Mrs. Merkel warned the visiting Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, against any further delay in returning to the negotiating table.

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Over 20 ships expected for second Gaza flotilla
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua
April 7, 2011 - 12:00am

A Turkish human rights organization said here on Thursday that it is organizing another Gaza flotilla of more than 20 ships as the anniversary for the first ill-fated voyage on May 31 approaches. The IHH Human Rights Foundation which organized last year's flotilla, which was attacked by Israeli commandos in international waters killing 9, is in the planning stage of a second larger flotilla. IHH board member Huseyin Oruc told Xinhua that currently there are activists from more than 20 countries interested in participating.

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Ex-Fatah official named in Libya arms deal
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from United Press International (UPI)
April 6, 2011 - 12:00am

Fatah is investigating reports former Palestinian security chief Mohammed Dahlan supplied Israeli-made weapons to Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi. "The committee will take measures that suit the size of these allegations," The Jerusalem Post quoted a Fatah spokesman saying. The spokesman noted the Fatah Central Committee had already suspended Dahlan's membership because of "political and organizational trespasses." Rebel forces battling the Libyan leader said they seized Israeli arms smuggled into the country and named Dahlan a suspect, the Ma'an news agency reported Tuesday.

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