August 14, 2012

Middle East News: World Press Roundup

NEWS: Palestinians are seeking international support for renewed efforts at greater recognition at the UN. Egypt will reportedly reopen its border crossing with Gaza, as Palestinians are stranded waiting to return. Israel is engaged in an unprecedented debate about the prospect of war with Iran. DM Barak is delaying approval of full university status recognition for a school in an Israeli settlement. The Israeli Defense Ministry asks for several billion additional shekels for 2013. An Israeli human rights group calls on authorities to reopen investigations of police misconduct against Palestinians in occupied East Jerusalem. Israel is moving forward with plans to evict 1500 Palestinians in the occupied West Bank to make way for a military firing range. Palestinians brace for power cuts as Israel's electricity company threatens to cut supplies due to unpaid debts. Palestine opens a consulate in the Dominican Republic. Pres. Morsy is reportedly considering asking for amendments to the peace treaty with Israel, particularly regarding Egyptian sovereignty in the Sinai Peninsula. A Palestinian male ballet dancer is challenging cultural expectations. Israeli diplomats say South Africa's boycott of settlement products, including those from occupied East Jerusalem, amounts to a boycott of Israel itself. Avi Dichter resigns from the Knesset to become Minister of Home Front Defense. Organizations in the United States launch a campaign to prevent Hezbollah and other designated foreign terrorist organizations from using social media such as YouTube and Twitter. Palestinian refugees who fled Syria to Lebanon are mired in a bureaucratic limbo. Palestinians are increasingly concerned about aggressive Israeli moves in “Area C." COMMENTARY: ATFP Pres. Ziad Asali says Palestinian culture should be fairly evaluated. The New York Times says it's irresponsible for Israel to be talking about war with Iran when diplomacy is still viable and ongoing. Avi Issacharoff says Gazans are hoping that Egypt will ease its clampdown on smuggling tunnels. Alex Fishman says the shakeup at the top of the Egyptian military doesn't bode well for relations with Israel. J.J. Goldberg says Pres. Obama should welcome Palestinian moves for UN nonmember observer state status, but with certain conditions. Ben Caspit says Israeli leaders should stop chattering about attacking Iranian nuclear facilities and decide whether to do it or not. Gershom Gorenberg says few Israelis appreciate the true value of the effectiveness of Palestinian security forces in the West Bank. Mohamed Fadel Fahmy says no one really knows what happened in the Sinai attack against Egyptian forces. Aaron David Miller says Israel will continue to have its state but, under the current circumstances, Palestinians, other Arabs and Iran will not allow them to " completely enjoy it."

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Palestinian Seeks Diplomatic Allies

Hanan Ashrawi, a member of the Palestine Liberation Organization’s executive committee, asked diplomats from two dozen countries on Monday to support the Palestinian Authority’s renewed bid for observer-state status at the United Nations, calling it “a test of the whole rule of law.” Speaking in East Jerusalem to envoys from countries in Europe, Latin America, Asia and the Middle East, Ms.

Gaza: Egypt opening border ahead of Muslim holiday

Egypt on Tuesday opened its border with Hamas-ruled Gaza for a three-day period ahead of a major Muslim holiday this weekend, but imposed tight restrictions on who can travel and did not say whether it would resume normal border operations.

The government in Cairo closed the border Aug. 5, shutting down the Rafah passenger terminal and — according to Egyptian security officials — sealing more than 100 cross-border smuggling tunnels. The move came after Islamic militants in Egypt's Sinai desert near Gaza killed 16 Egyptian troops at a border post.

Gaza residents 'stranded abroad' as Egypt denies visas

A number of Palestinians say they are stranded abroad because Egypt has denied them transit visas to return to Gaza.

Palestinians in Lebanon, Turkey, Libya and Kenya have contacted Ma'an, saying they were refused Egyptian visas.

Gaza residents can only enter or leave the enclave via the Rafah crossing on Egypt's border due to Israel's blockade of Gaza's other borders and sea port.

Salim, who is in Istanbul, told Ma'an the Egyptian consulate said it had been instructed by the Egyptian government to stop issuing visas to Palestinians.

Israel plunged into unprecedented debate about war

To attack or not to attack? With Israeli politicians warning repeatedly that Iran is secretly pursuing nuclear weapons, this question has spawned an unprecedented amount of agonizing even in a country accustomed to war and incessant debate.

Israel holding up settlement college upgrade

Israel's defense minister is holding up the politically charged upgrade of the only West Bank settlement college to a full-fledged university.

A month after a settler council approved the upgrade, a spokesman said Defense Minister Ehud Barak has to study the security and diplomatic implications before signing off on the move.

Without his go-ahead, the upgrade cannot be finalized.

Israeli defense ministry asks for billions more in 2013 budget

The Israeli Defense Ministry is asking for several billion shekels more than the Israeli Finance Ministry is willing to allocate to it in 2013 budget, according to local media.

In discussions set to begin Wednesday, an 11.5-billion-shekel ( 3.5 billion U.S. dollars) gap remains between what the military is requesting - 62 billion shekels (15.5 billion U.S. dollars) - and the Finance Ministry's 50.5-billion-shekel (12.5 billion U.S. dollars) offer.

Israeli rights group urges to reexamine police misconduct in East Jerusalem

The Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI) wants the Justice Ministry to re-open cases of police misconduct filed by Arab residents living in East Jerusalem.

The ministry's department in charge of investigating complaints against policemen closed several cases in recent months for lack of evidence or public interest, the Ha'aretz daily reported Monday.

Israel annexed East Jerusalem after the 1967 war. Its 270,000 Arab residents carry Israeli ID cards and are eligible for all municipal services.

Palestinians face losing their home on the (firing) range

Khalid Jabareen's tone was frantic as he discussed the future of his village and family, even though he thought the moment he dreaded – when they would be expelled from their homes – was months away. 

The Night that The Lights Went Out?

The Palestinian Authority (PA) owes more than $170 million to the Israel Electric Company, and Israel is threatening to cut off the flow unless the debt is paid. Palestinian officials say that could cause widespread blackouts throughout the West Bank.

Al-Malki to inaugurate Palestinian consulate in Dominican Republic

The Palestinian Authority foreign minister will travel to the Dominican Republic on Wednesday to inaugurate a newly established Palestinian Consulate on the Caribbean Island.

Riyad al-Malki told Ma'an he would participate in the opening ceremony in Santo Domingo, during which the Palestinian flag will be raised over the consulate.

The ceremony will be attended by the newly elected president Danilo Medina Sanchez.

Adviser: Morsy studying Camp David Accords amendment issue

President Mohamed Morsy is studying whether to amend the Camp David Accords to ensure Egypt’s full sovereignty and control over every inch of Sinai, said Mohamed Gadallah, legal adviser to the president.

Calls for amending the peace treaty with Israel, which also governs the security presence in the Sinai Peninsula, have been on the rise since last week’s attack on a military checkpoint at the border left 16 Egyptian security officers dead.

First Palestinian male ballet dancer battles prejudices

As the young ballet dancer stretches backwards lifting his leg over the barre and rising up on to demi-pointe, beads of sweat appear on his forehead.

The two hour-long routine takes place daily in south London in a practice studio surrounded by mirrors.

The practice is so demanding that it would break the will, not to mention the physical strength, of anyone less passionate about dance.

But it is not just the gruelling requirements of ballet that this young dancer has to contend with but also entrenched cultural prejudices.

Jerusalem accuses South Africa of boycotting Israel

Ambassador to South Africa Dov Segev-Steinberg will ask Pretoria for clarifications regarding what is viewed in Jerusalem as nothing less than a South African call for a boycott of Israel, diplomatic sources said on Monday.

Dichter quits Knesset to take home front defense ministerial position

Israeli lawmaker Avi Dichter resigned from the Kadima Party and the Knesset in order to join the government as minister of home front defense.

Dichter reportedly sent Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin his resignation on Tuesday after being offered the position Monday night during a meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak. He will replace Matan Vilnai, who on Monday became Israel's ambassador to China.

Driving Hezbollah Off Social Media

A campaign to drive designated terror organizations off social media platforms is proving effective on some fronts in preventing Hezbollah from reaching out to members and supporters through the Web.

Several key social media sites, including Facebook, agreed recently to delete accounts and applications belonging to the Lebanon-based group and its TV station, Al-Manar, which have both been designated by the United States as terror groups.

Palestinians from Syria mired in bureaucratic limbo

After escaping the violence in Syria, Palestinian refugees who recently arrived in Lebanon are encountering a bureaucratic nightmare as they struggle to obtain basic housing and health care.

More than 300 Palestinian refugee families have fled camps in Syria to the homes of relatives in the refugee camps of Ain al-Hilweh and Mieh Mieh, as well as the city of Sidon.

The communities hosting the refugees are unable to accommodate the steady tide of newcomers from Syria, especially as little outside aid is being funneled to help them.

Palestinians Fear New Israeli Moves In West Bank

Peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians have been frozen for almost two years. But Palestinians say that doesn't mean events aren't happening on the ground.

Recently, the Israeli military issued orders calling for evacuation and demolition of nearly a dozen Palestinian communities in the occupied West Bank. Palestinians see this as evidence of Israeli plans to annex the territory, though Israel denies this.

Palestinian culture is not about failure

Given the current conversation about issue of Palestinian culture and its relationship to politics and economics, I feel it is appropriate for me to add my own Palestinian-American perspective.

Israel and Iran

Israeli leaders are again talking about possible military action against Iran. This is, at best, mischievous and, at worst, irresponsible, especially when diplomacy has time to run.

Gazans hope Egypt will ease clampdown on smuggling tunnels

Last week's terror attack in Sinai, which claimed the lives of 16 Egyptian soldiers, prompted the authorities in Cairo to clamp down on the smuggling tunnels connecting Egyptian Rafah and the Gaza Strip. Dozens of bulldozers arrived at the Egyptian side of the Philadelphi Route and began demolishing tunnels. On the other side, Hamas closed the tunnel entrances, at least for the time being.

For around 70,000 Palestinians whose livelihoods depend on the tunnels, it is a severe blow.

Danger to Israel-Egypt ties

Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi's termination of the Arab country's old military guard with one swipe and without resistance was one of the most surprising and dramatic developments of the revolution.

Palestinian Statehood Could Be Escape Strategy

As the Palestinians prepare for another attempt to win recognition as a state at the United Nations General Assembly, President Obama has a rare opportunity to show true friendship for Israel in a way that sets him apart from and ahead of his rival. He can welcome the Palestinian request and promise to support it. On certain conditions, that is.

How in heaven’s name could supporting a U.N. Palestine resolution be an act of friendship toward Israel? Simple: It could restart negotiations, with Israel in a stronger position.

Bibi and Barak: Enough Chatter, Decide Already

You can all relax — in the last two weeks, nothing new has happened with regard to an attack on Iran. The cabinet hasn’t convened, the defense minister hasn’t summoned the IDF general staff and no new information has been received. Everything that is known today was known two months ago.

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