Middle East News: World Press Roundup
NEWS:
Major clashes have broken out in a Palestinian refugee camp near Damascus. Israel arrests 30 Hamas activists in the occupied West Bank, as its policy of isolating the organization by blockading Gaza appears to be unraveling. Pres. Abbas expresses concern that the visit by the Emir of Qatar to Gaza could lead to its separation from the West Bank. Israel believes sanctions against Iran are forcing it to cut back on aid to Hezbollah. Israel says it would limit the use of cluster bombs in any new conflict with Hezbollah. Israeli forces kill a Hamas militant as more projectiles hit southern Israel. PM Netanyahu is going to visit Paris. Two Israeli police officers are indicted for beating an Arab youth. Palestinian citizens in Israel feel unprotected by the Israeli police. European NGOs are pushing for a ban on trade with Israeli settlements. Settler leaders continue to press the Israeli government to adopt the recommendations of the Levy Committee Report.
COMMENTARY:
Roger Cohen says Jews in Ohio are divided as never before over the election. Abdul-Hakim Salah says the outcome of the US election is unlikely to affect US Middle East policy. Dennis Ross says the two-state solution is not dead and remains the only path to peace. Reuven Pedatzur says Israel has no answer to rocket attacks from Gaza. Kenneth Bandler says the US should make sure other Arab states don't follow Qatar's example in recognizing the de facto Hamas government in Gaza. Gershon Baskin says the situation in Gaza might not escalate, but Israelis and Palestinians must find a way to stop it from continuously repeating. Matthew Brooks says Jewish Americans should vote for Mitt Romney for president. Mel Levine says Romney has many financial ties to Iran. Rami Khouri says a recent letter by American Christian groups to Congress on aid to Israel is an antidote to typical political pandering. Yaron London says Israel is in a low-level war with Gaza whether Netanyahu wants to admit it or not. Andrew Apostolou says the US-Israel relationship is based on practical politics, not romance. Ahram Online interviews former Pres. Carter.
Syria rebels, Palestinian fighters clash
Media Outlet:
The Australian
Israel: Arrests for Rebuilding Hamas
Article Author(s):
Isabel Kershner
Media Outlet:
The New York Times
Israel’s security service, Shin Bet, has arrested about 30 Palestinians in the West Bank over the past few months on suspicion of working to rebuild the local infrastructure of
Article Author(s):
Joel Greenberg
Media Outlet:
The Washington Post
When the emir of Qatar paid the first visit by a head of state to the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip last week, there were two different reactions from the Israeli Foreign Ministry.
Abbas concerned by Qatar emir visit
Media Outlet:
Ma'an News Agency
President Mahmoud Abbas said Friday he was concerned about the Qatari emir's visit to the Gaza Strip, saying it could lead to Gaza's separation from the West Bank.
Abbas made the remarks while visiting the grave of late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat on the first day of Eid al-Adha.
The president stressed that his bid to upgrade Palestine's status at the UN was one of the most important things he could do for the Palestinian people.
The UN bid aims to preserve the two-state solution, he said.
Israel believes sanctions on Iran hit Hezbollah
Article Author(s):
Amy Teibel
Media Outlet:
Associated Press
Israel to limit cluster bombs in possible war with Hezbollah
Article Author(s):
Dan Williams
Israel would use a lot fewer cluster munitions in any future war with Hezbollah than it did in their 2006 conflict, even though it would go into southern Lebanon earlier and harder, a senior Israeli military officer said on Monday.
Israel kills Hamas gunman, Gaza salvo hits Israeli city
Article Author(s):
Allyn Fisher-Ilan
Israel killed a Hamas gunman it accused of preparing to fire a rocket from the Gaza Strip on Sunday and a separate Palestinian salvo struck a southern Israeli city, causing no damage.
Isreali PM Netanyahu to visit Paris on Wednesday
Isreali Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will visit Paris from Oct. 31 to Nov. 1 for bilateral talks, the French foreign ministry announced here on Monday.
Two Israeli policemen indicted for beating Arab youth
Israel i Justice Ministry's Department of Police Investigation recently filed charges against two border police who allegedly assaulted a Palestinian youth and tried to cover up their action.
Arab citizens in Israel bemoan lack of policing
Article Author(s):
Edmund Sanders
Media Outlet:
The Los Angeles Times
When residents of this once-sleepy Arab village gathered to protest recent gang-style shootings in their community, anger quickly focused on the Israeli police.
NGOs urge European states to cut trade with Israeli settlements
Article Author(s):
Amira Hass
Settler leaders lobby PM to pass Levy report
Article Author(s):
Tovah Lazaroff
Media Outlet:
The Jerusalem Post
As Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu weighs bringing the Levy Report on legalizing West Bank outposts to the cabinet, settler leaders on Monday held a small protest outside the Knesset.
The leaders plan to sit there throughout the week, as part of their lobby to get Netanyahu to approve the report, which states that West Bank settlements are legal under international law.
The Jews of Cuyahoga County
Article Author(s):
Roger Cohen
Media Outlet:
The New York Times
Things are getting ugly among the Jews of Cuyahoga County, with family splits and dinner invitations declined. “I have never seen the divisions this acute,” said James Ratner, an executive of the Forest City real estate group.
US elections result unlikely to change Mideast policy
Article Author(s):
Abdul-Hakim Salah
Media Outlet:
Ma'an News Agency
As the countdown to the US presidential race nears, and polls show very close results, Palestinians both at popular and official levels are more concerned about an expected change in US foreign policy than about who will win.
Whether the US will devote greater efforts to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, and be more realistic and objective when dealing with Palestinian and Israeli affairs, is the major question the Palestinians need an answer to.
Dennis Ross: Two-state solution is not dead, only way to Mideast peace
Article Author(s):
Chemi Shalev
"Those who say that the two-state solution is dead are not serving the interests of peace and certainly not serving the interests of Israel and the Palestinians," says former top White House adviser and peace negotiator Dennis Ross.
IDF reached a dead end in Gaza
Article Author(s):
Reuven Pedatzur
The Israel Defense Forces has reached a dead end in the Gaza Strip. The defense minister and the prime minister are arrogantly threatening Hamas day and night with a painful reaction if the rocket fire doesn't stop. And the chief of staff has declared that "the IDF is powerful and ready to react, initiate and respond to any threat at any time."
Qatar’s Gaza gambit
Article Author(s):
Kenneth Bandler
Media Outlet:
The Jerusalem Post
Recep Tayyip Erdogan earnestly wanted to be the first head of state to visit Hamas-controlled Gaza. Turkey’s Islamist prime minister had hoped to add the stop to his Cairo visit in September 2011, when he also traveled to Tunisia and Libya to join new governments in celebrating the Islamist fruits of the Arab Spring. But he changed his mind just before leaving Turkey for his regional tour. “I will not visit Gaza, but I’m longing to visit Gaza as soon as possible,” said a disheartened Erdogan.
The end of rocket fire from Gaza
Article Author(s):
Gershon Baskin
Media Outlet:
The Jerusalem Post
There is an argument within the Israeli security establishment regarding what should be done vis-àvis the Gaza Strip. All agree that the continued rocket fire from Gaza against the civilian population in the south is intolerable and must be stopped. The argument is mainly between those who favor a major military operation a la Cast Lead II and those who believe that developments in Egypt, Qatari influence in Gaza and some of the more pragmatic elements inside of Hamas can contain the more radical militant forces inside the Gaza strip.
Time to stop digging and start building
Article Author(s):
Matthew Brooks
Media Outlet:
Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA)
As Will Rogers said, “When you find yourself in a hole, stop digging!" In the last four years, the Obama administration has dug our country deeper and deeper into several painful and dangerous holes. It's time to stop digging and find better solutions.
The rich irony: Romney’s many financial ties to Iran
Article Author(s):
Mel Levine
Media Outlet:
The Times of Israel
During last Monday’s foreign policy debate, President Obama systematically refuted Governor Mitt Romney’s accusations about US policy on Iran.
Challenging politics as usual in the U.S.
Article Author(s):
Rami Khouri
Media Outlet:
The Daily Star
Two very different ways for the United States to deal with Arabs and Israelis were on show last week in the United States. The contrast was stunning between the televised debate between Barack Obama and Mitt Romney in which “I Love Israel more than You Love Israel” was the background theme song that permeated most discussions of issues, and a letter to Congress by 15 American religious leaders asking for aid to Israel to be assessed according to law-based human rights standards that Washington applies around the world.
Israel is at War, Whether Netanyahu Admits it or Not
Article Author(s):
Yaron London
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu toots his own horn that during his term as prime minister, we have not gone to war. He explains his success by stating that war became superfluous once the Israel he headed demonstrated a resolve and determination that deterred its enemies.
The Not So Special U.S.-Israel Relationship
Article Author(s):
Andrew Apostolou
Media Outlet:
The Daily Beast
Jimmy Carter on Mideast peace, Arab Spring and looming US elections
Media Outlet:
Ahram Online
Ahram Online: You said in a recent interview that Israel 'never' keeps its promises regarding the rights of Palestinians. Were there any changes on the ground that prompted the so-called 'Elders' to visit the region to attempt to restart peace talks?
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