Commitment to a just cause
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Gulf News
by Joseph A. Kechichian - (Opinion) February 20, 2013 - 1:00am

President Barack Obama will no doubt get a chance to discuss with Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, several sensitive issues during his upcoming visit to Israel. Logically, the two men would reconsider the use of fake western passports by Mossad agents — as the most recent revelations involving Ben Zygier, an Australian citizen involved in the Dubai operation that killed the Hamas agent, Mahmoud Al Mabhouh in January 2010, confirmed.

»

Official: Israel continues to withhold PA tax revenues
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency
February 19, 2013 - 1:00am

Israel continues to withhold tax revenues from the Palestinian Authority, an official said Monday, as unions in the West Bank organize strike action this week over unpaid salaries. Ahmad al-Hilou, director of customs taxes and VAT, told Ma'an that Israel was supposed to transfer December tax revenues to the PA last Thursday, "but the money is still withheld due to a political decision." A PA delegation will meet with Israeli officials on Feb. 28 to discuss transferring January tax revenues, al-Hilou said.

»

Good morning, Abbas-stan
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Aluf Benn - (Opinion) February 17, 2013 - 1:00am

All indications are that the Palestinians are set to return to the top of Israel’s priority list, despite the evident boredom of the public and the politicians with what is euphemistically called in Hebrew “the diplomtic issue.” Here a muttered comment about peace by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, there a demand during coalition negotiations for renewed negotiations; U.S. President Barack Obama’s visit to Israel is approaching, while in the background the calm of the status quo is weakening and a third intifada looms more threateningly than usual.

»

The Success That Failed
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times
by Roger Cohen - (Opinion) February 14, 2013 - 1:00am

The most progressive and innovative Palestinian thinker on a Middle East peace settlement has been steadily isolated over the past several years. Undercut by Israel, undermined by his own people’s factionalism, unable to meet even once with President Obama, this dynamic Palestinian leader is now close to the end of his rope.

»

Why Can’t Jewish Settlements Remain in a Palestinian State?
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jewish Daily Forward
by Hillel Halkin - (Opinion) February 13, 2013 - 1:00am

  “There’s no greater cliché,” I wrote in this column a month ago, “than the one that keeps insisting that the settlements are an obstacle to peace. They may have been that once, when they were few and sparsely populated enough to be removed. Now that they’ve long passed that point, any peace agreement will have to make room for their existence.”

»

'No place in Israel for Palestine,' says Naftali Bennett in maiden Knesset speech
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Jonathan Lis - February 13, 2013 - 1:00am

In his first address to the Knesset, Habayit Hayehudi leader Naftali Bennett on Tuesday rejected any possibility of an agreement that would lead to the creation of a Palestinian state alongside Israel. "There's no place in our small and stunning piece of God's country for another state," he said. "It won't happen. But friends, before any debate about territory, it must be said: The Land of Israel belongs to the people of Israel. Now let's argue." Bennett also referred to his commitment to making the defense burden more equitable.

»

Build two-state bridges not walls
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Ibrahim Shomali - (Opinion) February 12, 2013 - 1:00am

Today, an Israeli court in Tel Aviv will decide the fate of our land. It will judge whether Israel’s annexation Wall will be built right through the heart of our community.

»

Is There Any Hope Left For Israeli-Palestinian Conflict?
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Al-Monitor
by Akiva Eldar - (Opinion) February 12, 2013 - 1:00am

 

»

On My Mind: Peace expectations
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post
by Kenneth Bandler - (Opinion) February 11, 2013 - 1:00am

With the Israeli-Palestinian peace process stuck in neutral for so long, any ostensibly positive development is assumed to signal a possible opportunity to advance. Some observers contend that Israel’s recent elections provide such a turning point. The New York Times, for instance, argued in an editorial that the results set the stage for a breakthrough in moribund peace negotiations.

»

Historical Experiences and Perception
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Huffington Post
by Alon Ben-Meir - (Opinion) February 11, 2013 - 1:00am

Brief synopsis: The most puzzling aspect of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict may be that after 65 years of violence, enmity and suffering, it remains unresolved when coexistence is inevitable and a two-state solution remains the only viable option. Although there are many contentious issues that must be specifically addressed, directly impacting every conflicting issue is the broader psychological dimension of the conflict, which makes it increasingly intractable.

»


American Task Force on Palestine - 1634 Eye St. NW, Suite 725, Washington DC 20006 - Telephone: 202-262-0017