In Battle for Weiner's Seat, Support for Israel Looms Large
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jewish Daily Forward
by Naomi Zeveloff - August 24, 2011 - 12:00am

David Weprin is an Orthodox Jew and a state assemblyman from Queens with a background in finance, a deep family history in state and local politics, outspoken support for Israel and an unobtrusive demeanor. So when Democratic leaders were looking for a candidate who could slide easily into the heavily Jewish district left behind by sexting Democratic Rep. Anthony Weiner, Weprin seemed like a winning candidate — and an inoffensive one — to clinch the September 13 special election.

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Glenn Beck's Israel tour raises eyebrows
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Los Angeles Times
by Edmund Sanders - August 23, 2011 - 12:00am

Reporting from Jerusalem Perhaps it was only a matter of time before conservative American commentator Glenn Beck, viewed by many supporters as a modern-day prophet, brought his messianic message to Jerusalem. But even in an ancient city that has seen its share of religious enthusiasts, Beck's high-profile Holy Land tour this week, culminating Wednesday in a rally just a stone's throw from the Western Wall and the Dome of the Rock mosque, is raising eyebrows.

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With friends like Glenn Beck...
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Rachel Tabachnick - (Opinion) August 23, 2011 - 12:00am

Israel's international standing and relationship with Jewish-Americans is threatened as Israel is increasingly linked to right-wing political agendas in the United States. This situation has been exacerbated as controversial American broadcaster Glenn Beck has tried to remake himself into Israel's champion. Beck, who is currently in Israel to lead his "Restoring Courage" rally in Jerusalem, has become a marginal and toxic figure in the United States. So much so that Fox News ended his daily show earlier this year.

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Glenn Beck Brings Firebreathing Rhetoric Back to Israel
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jewish Daily Forward
by Noam Sheizaf - (Opinion) August 22, 2011 - 12:00am

Glenn Beck is in Israel, again. In July, the talk radio host and former Fox News star was invited to the Kensset, where he met “a room full of admirers” — in the words of a Channel 1 report — led by Likud MK Danny Danon. Beck urged Israelis to stand strong; among those shaking his hand was Baruch Marzel, former chairman of the outlawed Kach movement. Yet it seems that this honor wasn’t enough for Beck, who is back for a couple of Israeli rallies this week under the name of “Restoring Courage.”

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Hill fight simmers over Palestinian statehood vote
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Politico
by Marin Cogan, Jake Sherman - August 19, 2011 - 12:00am

Republicans and Democrats on Capitol Hill will spend much of the fall warring over budget deficits and the national debt, but a mass excursion by lawmakers to Israel this month offers a glimpse into a simmering foreign policy fight that could unify the two parties and cause headaches for the White House.

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Why is Glenn Beck going to Israel?
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Washington Post
by Zev Chafets - (Opinion) August 19, 2011 - 12:00am

In its long slog through history, the Jewish caravan has acquired a lot of improbable and colorful camp followers, from Bulan, king of the Khazars, to Marilyn Monroe and Madonna. Lately, conservative commentator and former Fox News TV personality Glenn Beck has joined their ranks. This week, he plans to set up his tent in the Holy Land for three televised Zionist rallies, dubbed “Restoring Courage,” in Jerusalem and the ancient Mediterranean port city of Caesarea. They are a sequel to the mass Restoring Honor rally at the Lincoln Memorial a year ago.

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U.S. impotent in face of Middle East events
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Zvi Barel - (Opinion) August 17, 2011 - 12:00am

What is the critical mass of people who must be killed for the 'international community' to act? How long will the Syrian protesters wait until the United States and its allies deign to intervene in their slow massacre? What is the critical mass of people who must be killed for the "international community" to act? When there's an earthquake, countries jostle each other to be visibly first in line with rescue forces for the victims; when thousands were killed in Darfur, the "community" went into deep hibernation until roused to assist.

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A non-violent path should precede UN recognition
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post
(Opinion) August 17, 2011 - 12:00am

Nonviolence is a way of life that will guarantee peaceful coexistence in the future and the eventual goal of a demilitarized region. Talkbacks (30) I, along with nearly two dozen of my US congressional colleagues, have just concluded a 10-day fact-finding trip to Israel and the Palestinian territories. We had formal meetings with many leaders, including President Shimon Peres and Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, and President Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Salam Fayyad of the Palestinian Authority, as well as informal talks with average Israelis and Palestinians.

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Netanyahu to Clinton: No apology to Turkey
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews
by Attila Somfalvi - August 17, 2011 - 12:00am

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Wednesday that Israel will not apologize to Turkey over the 2010 flotilla incident, despite an earlier demand by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to do so. Clinton spoke with Netanyahu, asking Israel to apologize to Turkey for killing nine of its citizens aboard the Gaza-bound Mavi Marmara ship in May 2010. However, Netanyahu made it clear that given the current situation in the Middle East, Israel will not issue an apology.

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Obama isn’t being treated fairly on Israel
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA)
by Marc Stanley - (Opinion) August 15, 2011 - 12:00am

I was amused by Adam Serwer's recent blog post titled “Is Bibi anti-Israel?” in which he pointed out that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu conditionally offered this month to negotiate with the Palestinians using the pre-1967 borders as a framework. Amazingly, there was no outcry by American Jews that Netanyahu was abandoning Israel by suggesting a return to supposedly “indefensible” borders.

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