PA-Israel joint security may be first victim of Fatah-Hamas pact
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The National
by Hugh Naylor - May 11, 2011 - 12:00am

The security agencies of the Palestinian Authority have been praised for fostering stability and prosperity by helping dismantle the West Bank's armed militias and networks of Hamas fighters. But an element to their success - coordination with Israel's security establishment - may be in jeopardy after Fatah, the West Bank's dominant Palestinian faction, and Hamas agreed to a deal designed to lead to a unity government.

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IDF, PA forces still coordinating despite Fatah-Hamas pact
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Anshel Pfeffer - April 29, 2011 - 12:00am

No decisions have been made by the Israel Defense Forces regarding any changes in security cooperation with Palestinian Authority security forces in the West Bank following the announcement of a reconciliation between Fatah and Hamas. Contacts between IDF officers on the ground and their West Bank Palestinian counterparts are projecting business as usual.

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Israel wary of change in security arrangements with PA
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews
by Hanan Greenberg - April 28, 2011 - 12:00am

The Palestinian factions' reconciliations has Israel concerned for many reasons, but one of the major ones is the now-questionable continuation of the collaboration between Israeli and Palestinian security forces in the West Bank. "The work vis-à-vis Palestinian security forces is very effective, and serves both parties well," military sources told Ynet Thursday. "Any change to this delicate relationship would lead to a significant change in the West Bank and will mandate the IDF change its deployment in the area."

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Palestinian security fire near Israeli patrol
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency
April 27, 2011 - 12:00am

Palestinian national security forces fired toward Israeli military vehicles in the northern West Bank on Tuesday, Palestinian security sources said. There were no reports of injury in the incident, which came as military jeeps pulled up near the Palestinian security building at the northern entrance of Tulkarem, the sources said. The governor of Tulkarem, Dalal Dweikat, denied any fire toward Israeli forces saying only that a Palestinian security officer misfired a single bullet in the same area as an Israeli patrol passed. "Things are calm and there are no developments," he said.

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Rattling the Cage: Beware of flying Arabs!
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post
by Larry Derfner - (Opinion) April 27, 2011 - 12:00am

Do you know that Israeli Arabs are getting on crowded buses every day, sitting among Jews, and no one is checking to see if they’re terrorists? Hundreds of thousands of Israeli Arabs are riding these mixed buses every day, many of them carrying bags and wearing coats, and nobody’s checking their ID, making them go through a metal detector or asking them a single question. If this isn’t an existential threat, I don’t know what is.

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For Israelis and Palestinians, the status quo is neither sustainable nor desirable
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Guardian
by Gary Younge - (Opinion) April 25, 2011 - 12:00am

Back in 2008 a Florida couple running a small business that throws children's parties bought two costumes that looked like Tigger and Eeyore on eBay from a firm in Peru for $500. When Walt Disney saw the characters advertised online, it threatened legal action for an infringement of copyright laws and presented the couple with a seven-point demand to cease and desist.

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'Heinous act against Jewish worshipers'
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews
by Attila Somfalvi - April 24, 2011 - 12:00am

Shooting attack or unintentional mishap? Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned on Sunday evening the shooting incident at Joseph's Tomb in Nablus that killed 24-year-old Ben-Yosef Livnat and injured two other Hasidim, calling it a "terrorist attack." In his statement, Netanyahu urged the Palestinian Authority "to take harsh steps against the perpetrators who committed this heinous act against Jewish worshipers who were on their way to prayer."

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Beit Ummar residents say town under siege
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency
April 18, 2011 - 12:00am

Israeli forces erected checkpoints around the town of Beit Ummar Sunday afternoon, and carried out several home invasions, delivering summons to appear for questioning to at least one resident, locals said. Town activist Mohammad Ayyad Awwad told Ma'an that the measures came as part of an increase in restrictions and harassment against residents, and following the construction of a fence along the southern side of the village, restricting movement of residents and caging them into the town center.

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US to help pay for Iron Dome
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews
by Yitzhak Benhorin - April 11, 2011 - 12:00am

The United States is slated to provide Israel with $430 million worth of security aid in the near future which will include $205 million allocated for the development of Iron Dome batteries. Democrats and republicans are slated to finalize the 2011 budget in the coming days. The delay in the approval of the funds was caused by foot-dragging in passing the budget in Congress. The budget was meant to pass five months ago but partisan conflicts delayed its approval.

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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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