Security | The American Task Force on Palestine

Are Israel’s Policies a Threat to the U.S.?
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jewish Daily Forward
by Nathan Guttman - (Opinion) March 17, 2010 - 12:00am

The dispute between Israel and the United States over building plans in East Jerusalem has left some supporters of Israel with a bitter aftertaste. It was not only the harshness of the Obama administration’s admonition of Israel; it was also the sense that a new element has been introduced to the bilateral relationship: the question of whether Israeli policies adversely affect America’s strategic interests in the region. Related Articles

Families fight 'racist' Israeli citizenship law
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from BBC News
by Heather Sharp - March 9, 2010 - 1:00am

"To leave my children, I would die. I couldn't do it," says Lana Khatib. Five years ago, Israel's controversial citizenship law marred her first year of marriage and still looms large over everything from supermarket shopping to her fears the family might face the prospect of separation. Adnan, who is three, and one-year-old Yosra squabble over their toys. Born and raised in Israel, they are too young to understand that their parents both consider themselves Palestinian, but their father Taiseer is an Israeli citizen while their mother is from the occupied West Bank.

On brink of next intifada
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews
by Shaul Mishal - (Opinion) March 3, 2010 - 1:00am

Part 1 of article There are fears that Jerusalem will be turning into the focal point of an outburst that would prompt the next intifada. It will be a civilian rather than armed intifada, although it may certainly escalate into a bloody uprising. This intifada may spread like wildfire across the rest of the West Bank and its main centers of activity will be protests around the settlements and mostly near the security fence. Bilin will turn into a focal point that will spread along the fence area.

A tale of two assassinations
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post
by Larry Derfner - (Opinion) February 24, 2010 - 1:00am

There are times when it's a good idea to assassinate a Hamas leader, even in a foreign country, and times when it's a bad idea. The killing of Mahmoud al-Mabhouh in Dubai last month (which everyone presumes to have been the Mossad's work) was a bad idea. By contrast, the Mossad's attempt in September 1997 to kill Khaled Mashaal in Amman was a good idea that went bad in the execution, so to speak, as I wrote in a column titled "Hit 'em back" two weeks afterward.

Palestinians: We thwarted suicide attack against Israel
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Avi Issacharoff - February 23, 2010 - 1:00am

The Palestinian Authority thwarted a suicide attack about six weeks ago that a young woman from Nablus had planned to carry out in Israel, Palestinian security sources have told Haaretz. The woman, who belongs to the Islamic Jihad, was arrested by the Palestinian security forces. A spokesman for the Palestinian forces, Adnan Damiri, said he had no information on the subject. According to Palestinian security sources, they have recently thwarted a number of attacks against Israeli soldiers and civilians. Rocket handover

UN envoy: Quartet to back PA autonomy
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency
February 19, 2010 - 1:00am

Robert Serry, the UN special envoy to the Middle East peace process, hinted on Thursday that the international community would pressure Israel to cede parts of the occupied West Bank to Palestinian Authority control. Serry said the International Quartet, made up of the UN, EU, US and Russia, will express support for PA demands on the Israeli government to transfer Areas B and of the West Bank C into A, under full Palestinian control, on the road to establishing statehood.

Britain's explanation is riddled with inconsistencies. It's time to come clean
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Independent
by Robert Fisk - (Opinion) February 18, 2010 - 1:00am

Collusion. That's what it's all about. The United Arab Emirates suspect – only suspect, mark you – that Europe's "security collaboration" with Israel has crossed a line into illegality, where British passports (and those of other other EU nations) can now be used to send Israeli agents into the Gulf to kill Israel's enemies. At 3.49pm yesterday afternoon (Beirut time, 1.49pm in London), my Lebanese phone rang. It was a source – impeccable, I know him, he spoke with the authority I know he has in Abu Dhabi – to say that "the British passports are real.

IDF thwarts knife attack on soldier in Hebron
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Amos Harel, Anshel Pfeffer - February 12, 2010 - 1:00am

The Israel Defense Forces thwarted an attempted stabbing attack by a Palestinian in Hebron on Friday. No soldier was injured during the incident, but the Palestinian attacker was shot in the stomach by IDF forces and later succumbed to his wounds at a hospital. IDF forces entered Hebron's Old City on Friday in response to reports of Palestinians throwing stones at a settler's home. Palestinians then proceeded to throw stone at the IDF forces that entered the area.

Peaceful resistance - serious threat to Israel
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jordan Times
by Michael Jansen - (Opinion) February 11, 2010 - 1:00am

Israel's recent raids into Ramallah to arrest and deport foreign activists working with the International Solidarity Movement (ISM) is part and parcel of a strategy to end peaceful Palestinian resistance against the occupation. Having brutally crushed armed resistance and coopted the Palestinian Authority's police forces to provide "security" for Israel and its illegal West Bank colonies, Israel is determined to deny Palestinians all means of expression against the occupation and expropriation of their country.

Peaceful Palestinian resistance is paying off
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Christian Science Monitor
by Ben White - (Opinion) February 11, 2010 - 1:00am

For many, the idea of Palestinian resistance is synonymous with terrorism, conjuring up images of suicide bombings and rockets. This is a distortion shaped by the media and our politicians. Beyond the headlines, Palestinian resistance has always included nonviolent tactics. Today, in rural villages from Bilin and Jayyous to Nilin and Beit Ommar, this kind of Palestinian persistence against Israel’s separation barrier and illegal settlements is paying off – and attracting the participation of international supporters and Jewish Israelis.

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