The public is dumb and therefore the public pays
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Gideon Levy - (Opinion) June 25, 2010 - 12:00am

At least one Israeli - other than Shalom Hanoch whose signature is affixed to the title of this article (taken from his song "Waiting for the Messiah" ) - has reached the conclusion that Israeli public opinion is dumb. That person is the prime minister, and he is correct.

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Shimon Peres defends Israel's policies as vital to security
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Los Angeles Times
by Edmund Sanders - (Interview) June 23, 2010 - 12:00am

Reporting from Jerusalem Israeli President Shimon Peres said Tuesday that his nation's policy on the Gaza Strip has not yielded the results the government expected, and he criticized municipal plans to tear down 22 Palestinian homes in East Jerusalem to make way for redevelopment. But the 86-year-old former prime minister vigorously defended Israel's overall policies as vital to its security, saying international critics don't face the daily threat of terrorism. He spoke with the Los Angeles Times on Tuesday in his Jerusalem office.

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Israeli Official Assails Plans for Demolition of Arab Homes
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times
by Dina Kraft - June 23, 2010 - 12:00am

TEL AVIV — A top Israeli official scolded local officials on Tuesday for giving preliminary approval to a plan calling for the demolition of 22 Palestinian homes, in an echo of past stumbles over Jewish development in East Jerusalem.

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Israel's feeling of isolation is becoming more pronounced
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Washington Post
by Janine Zacharia - June 22, 2010 - 12:00am

An Elton John concert ordinarily isn't front-page news. But in Israel, where many feel more shunned than they have in decades, the legendary pop icon's decision to perform in Tel Aviv last Thursday was cause for celebration. After weeks of dreary reports about artists caving to calls to boycott Israel, Israeli diplomats being expelled by friendly allies, and even pressure from the United States to change course in Gaza, John allowed Israel an opportunity "for three hours," as one music reviewer put it, "to be a normal country."

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Obama to meet with Israel's Netanyahu on July 6
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Washington Post
June 21, 2010 - 12:00am

President Obama's latest White House meeting with Israel's prime minister is set for July 6 -- more than a month after their last one was scuttled at the last minute. Obama and Binyamin Netanyahu had planned talks on June 1. But that fell apart after Israel's deadly raid May 31 on an aid flotilla hoping to break the Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip. The raid has strained U.S. and Israeli relations, and the White House has announced a $400 million aid package for Gaza and the West Bank.

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Israeli Easing of Blockade of Gaza Draws Praise of U.S.
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times
by Isabel Kershner - June 20, 2010 - 12:00am

Bowing to worldwide pressure and condemnation, Israel on Sunday formally announced an eased blockade of Gaza that could significantly expand the flow of goods overland into the impoverished coastal Palestinian enclave, isolated by the Israelis for three years.

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Zionist Congress calls for settlement freeze
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA)
June 18, 2010 - 12:00am

(JTA) -- The World Zionist Congress passed a resolution endorsing a two-state solution and a West Bank settlement freeze. The vote in Jerusalem came a day after some opponents of the resolution walked out of a meeting of the 36th Congress’ settlement committee. Following the walkout, the remainder of the meeting was chaired by Hadar Susskind, the vice president of policy and strategy at J Street, which favors U.S. pressure on Israel toward a two-state solution.

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Is Obama believable?
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jordan Times
by Rami Khouri - June 18, 2010 - 12:00am

A few days ago, during a meeting at the White House with visiting Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, US President Barack Obama made an important statement, calling for a new approach to allowing Gazans to trade freely with the world while protecting Israel’s legitimate security needs. It sounded to many, including myself, like a serious and sensible shift in policy, and a long-needed one. Why, then, does it generate mainly yawns and disbelief?

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Easing of blockade is an Israeli ploy
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The National
(Editorial) June 18, 2010 - 12:00am

This is no easing of the blockade. Israel’s national security cabinet voted yesterday to “liberalise” the system for transferring civilian goods into the beleaguered Gaza Strip. Other than allowing some construction materials into the Strip for some “civilian projects”, the office of Israel’s prime minister offered few details. After they were barred for three years, it took until March for Israel to allow Gazans to receive shoes. Who knows what weapons those clever shabab from Hamas are concocting at this very moment with a rubber sole and a shoelace or two?

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Mitchell: Show restraint, avoid clashes
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post
by Herb Keinon - June 18, 2010 - 12:00am

Laboring under the cloud of the flotilla episode and its aftermath, US envoy George Mitchell held separate meetings with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak Thursday as part of his fourth round of indirect talks between Israel and the Palestinians. One diplomatic official quipped that it was probably a good thing the talks were indirect, because if they had been direct, on May 31, when the IDF raided the Gaza flotilla and nine people on the boat were killed, PA President Mahmoud Abbas would have been forced to cancel the negotiations.

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