Middle East News: World Press Roundup
NEWS:
The apathy of Arab voters in Israel is a growing concern. PM Netanyahu rebuffs concerns about Israel's settlement policies attributed to Pres. Obama. An Israeli court convicts an American immigrant settler for killing two Palestinians in 1997. Polls continue to suggest hardline parties will do well in the coming Israeli election. Pres.
Morsi claims his 2010 remarks about Israelis have been taken "out of context." An Israeli court approves, and occupation forces complete, the evacuation of a Palestinian protest structure in the crucial E1 area slated for increased settlement. Palestinian officials call for international intervention to save the peace process with Israel. The PA says Saudi Arabia has pledged to grant it $100 million. The gulf between Israeli women political leaders highlight the country's deepening divisions. Israel's high court says the military should stop evicting Palestinians from a south Hebron area designated as a "firing zone." Former PM Olmert accuses the Israeli government of rejecting peace. Israel offers tenders for another 198 settlement housing units.
Palestinians accuse Israeli troops of provoking a Palestinian boy before shooting him in the back.
COMMENTARY:
Eric Yoffie says Jewish Americans are fed up with feeling undervalued by Israel. Ha'aretz says Israeli forces must stop routinely killing Palestinians in the occupied territories. George Hishmeh looks forward to the Hagel confirmation hearings. Reuven Pedatzur says Israeli security services think a third Palestinian intifada is only a matter of time. Rana Baker says the occupation is undermining Palestinian identity. Shai Feldman says Netanyahu's choice of coalition partners will determine the impact of Israel's election. Raja Shehadeh calls the Palestinian E1 protest a "countersettlement." David Frum looks at why Israel is turning so far to the right. Leon Hadar says the Arab-Israeli conflict has a secular past, but maybe a religious future. Ronen Bergman says it's unfair to equate criticism of Israel with anti-Semitism. AP interviews Israeli political newcomer Yair Lapid.
As Israeli Vote Nears, Arab Apathy Is a Concern
Article Author(s):
Jodi Rudoren
Media Outlet:
The New York Times
There are two distinct strains of voter apathy here in what is known as the Triangle, home to many of Israel’s 1.5 million Arab citizens.
Netanyahu Issues Veiled Barb in Response to Reported Criticism From Obama
Article Author(s):
Isabel Kershner
Media Outlet:
The New York Times
Israel: U.S. Immigrant Convicted in Palestinian Deaths
Article Author(s):
Isabel Kershner
Media Outlet:
The New York Times
A Jerusalem court on Wednesday convicted an American immigrant who lived in a West Bank settlement of killing two Palestinians
Polls give hard-line bloc edge in Israel elections
Media Outlet:
Associated Press
Egypt's Morsi tries to defuse flap over Jews slur
Article Author(s):
Hamza Hendawi
Media Outlet:
Associated Press
Egypt's Islamist president sought Wednesday to defuse Washington's anger over his past remarks urging hatred of Jews and calling Zionists "pigs" and "bloodsuckers," telling visiting U.S. senators that his comments were a denunciation of Israeli policies.
Israeli security forces complete evacuation of E1 Palestinian outpost
Israeli security forces completed the evacuation of the Palestinian outpost in the E1 territory early Thursday morning with the removal of 25 tents.
Police spokesperson Mickey Rosenfeld confirmed to Xinhua that the evacuation took place late Wednesday night and lasted an hour without any unusual incidents or disturbances.
PNA calls for int'l intervention to save peace process with Israel
The Palestinian National Authority (PNA) on Wednesday called for an international intervention to save the peace process with Israel.
The call came after the Israeli government's announcement of plans to build some 200 housing units in Jewish settlements in the West Bank.
Minister: Saudi Arabia pledges $100 million to PA
Media Outlet:
Ma'an News Agency
Saudi Arabia has pledged $100 million to the Palestinian Authority to ease the government's financial crisis, the PA finance minister said Wednesday.
Article Author(s):
Christa Case Bryant
Media Outlet:
The Christian Science Monitor
Sparks flew in Hangar 11 at Tel Aviv ’s Old Port last night.
High Court to state: Don't evict Palestinians from south Hebron firing zone
Article Author(s):
Amira Hass
Israel's High Court of Justice on Wednesday ordered the state to refrain from evicting Palestinians living in an area of the West Bank that the Israel Defense Forces has designated a firing zone, pending further decision on the matter.
Olmert: Israeli government rejecting peace
Article Author(s):
Moran Azulay
With only five days left before the national elections, former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert warned that incumbent leader Benjamin Netanyahu could cause an irreparable rift between Israel and its closest ally.
Gov't issues tenders for 198 new settler homes
The Housing Ministry released two government tenders for the construction of 198 new homes in the West Bank on Wednesday, less than a week before the national elections.
Did Israeli troops deliberately provoke boy, only to shoot him in the back?
Media Outlet:
The Independent
Dear Prime Minister Netanyahu: U.S. Jews are fed up with not being valued
Dear Prime Minister Netanyahu:
American Jews are exceedingly agitated about issues of religious freedom, and there are things that you—acting on your own—can do about it.
Stop killing innocent citizens
Samir Ahmed Awad, 16, of the West Bank village of Budrus, was killed by IDF soldiers. So was Uday Darwish, 21, of Dura and Anwar al-Mamluk, 21, of Gaza.
None of them was a "ticking bomb." Their crime was attempting to cross the separation fence near Ramallah, or the one enclosing the Gaza Strip.
Let Hagel have the last word
Article Author(s):
George S. Hishmeh
Israeli Security Sources Anticipate Third Intifada
Article Author(s):
Reuven Pedatzur
Israeli Occupation Causes Palestinian Identity Crisis
Article Author(s):
Rana B Baker
Colonialism is not limited to physical boundaries, theft of resources, and even military aggression. In fact, it extends far beyond what we see, hear, and touch to what we do not. And the latter is equally perilous to say the least.
Bibi’s Choice After Election Will Set Course for Israel
Article Author(s):
Shai Feldman
In the aftermath of next week’s Israeli elections, Prime Minister Benjamin (Bibi) Netanyahu will face the decision of his political life. What kind of governing coalition he chooses to form will affect Israel for years to come.
The Countersettlement
Article Author(s):
Raja Shehadeh
Media Outlet:
The New York Times
Why Israel is Turning Right
Article Author(s):
David Frum
Media Outlet:
The Daily Beast
The Arab-Israeli Conflict's Secular Past and Religious Future
Article Author(s):
Leon Hader
Media Outlet:
The National Interest
Imagine a 20-year-old American kid who follows world affairs by browsing the Internet. Ask him to point out to the driving force behind the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians. And don’t be surprised if his answer is religion.
The Gravest of Allegations: Conflating Critique of Israel with Anti-Semitism
Article Author(s):
Ronen Bergman
Media Outlet:
Speigel International
AP Interview: Israel's Lapid won't be 'fig leaf'
Article Author(s):
Josef Federman
Little known outside Israel, political newcomer Yair Lapid could soon become the moderate face to the world of an otherwise hard-line government after next week's parliamentary election.
Links:
[1] http://www.americantaskforce.org/print/29796
[2] http://www.americantaskforce.org/printmail/29796
[3] http://www.americantaskforce.org/printpdf/29796
[4] http://www.americantaskforce.org/rss/wpr
[5] https://www.americantaskforce.org/civicrm/contribute/transact?reset=1&id=1
[6] http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/17/world/middleeast/arab-apathy-raises-concerns-about-israeli-democracy.html?ref=middleeast&_r=1&
[7] http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/17/world/middleeast/netanyahu-issues-veiled-response-to-criticism-from-obama.html?ref=middleeast
[8] http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/17/world/middleeast/israel-us-immigrant-convicted-in-palestinian-deaths.html?ref=middleeast
[9] http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/subjects/p/palestinians/index.html?inline=nyt-classifier
[10] http://www.statesman.com/ap/ap/top-news/polls-give-hard-line-bloc-edge-in-israel-elections/nTywZ/
[11] http://www.statesman.com/ap/ap/financial-services/egypt-morsi-comments-on-jews-taken-out-of-context/nTyFf/
[12] http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/world/2013-01/17/c_132110075.htm
[13] http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/world/2013-01/16/c_132107522.htm
[14] http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=556729
[15] http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Middle-East/2013/0116/Gulf-between-Israel-s-female-powerhouses-highlights-country-s-deepest-tensions?nav=107-csm_subcategory-leadStory
[16] http://www.csmonitor.com/tags/topic/Tel+Aviv
[17] http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/high-court-to-state-don-t-evict-palestinians-from-south-hebron-firing-zone.premium-1.494462
[18] http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4333812,00.html
[19] http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4333131,00.html
[20] http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/did-israeli-troops-deliberately-provoke-boy-only-to-shoot-him-in-the-back-8454650.html
[21] http://www.haaretz.com/opinion/dear-prime-minister-netanyahu-u-s-jews-are-fed-up-with-not-being-valued.premium-1.494357
[22] http://www.haaretz.com/opinion/stop-killing-innocent-citizens-1.494470
[23] http://gulfnews.com/opinions/columnists/let-hagel-have-the-last-word-1.1133305
[24] http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2013/01/security-sources-a-third-intifad.html
[25] http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2013/01/palestinian-identity-crisis.html
[26] http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/colonialism/
[27] http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2013/01/natanyahu-israel-elections.html
[28] http://latitude.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/01/17/palestinians-fight-israels-settlement-policy-with-settlements-of-their-own/
[29] http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/01/17/why-israel-is-turning-right.html
[30] http://nationalinterest.org/commentary/the-arab-israeli-conflicts-secular-past-religious-future-7978
[31] http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/ronen-bergman-on-the-conflation-of-criticism-of-israel-with-antisemitism-a-877479.html
[32] http://www.businessweek.com/ap/2013-01-16/ap-interview-israels-lapid-wont-be-fig-leaf