Middle East News: World Press Roundup

Tensions escalate following violent clashes between Muslim worshipers and Israeli riot police at the Haram al-Sharif in occupied East Jerusalem. Hamas reiterates its opposition to agreed-upon elections in January, and says that it is preparing a final reply to Egyptian national unity proposals. Turkey will push the Security Council to examine the Goldstone Report into the Gaza war, and Palestinian citizens of Israel that protested the Gaza war continue to face detention and house arrest. Fallout from last week's diplomatic activities continues, with analysts deeply divided over whether Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu outmaneuvered President Obama or now finds himself in an even more difficult situation facing permanent status negotiations.

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Palestinians and Israelis Clash at Jerusalem Holy Site ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times by Isabel Kershner - September 28, 2009 - 12:00am Clashes broke out Sunday between Palestinians and the Israeli police at a holy site in Jerusalem revered by both Muslims and Jews, after Muslim worshipers threw stones at a group of foreign tourists, apparently mistaking them for Jewish activists. » Read more

A call to moral accounting ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Chicago Tribune by Brant Rosen - (Opinion) September 28, 2009 - 12:00am On Sunday night, the Jewish community will begin our annual Yom Kippur fast. The physical deprivation is a crucial element of the day, but as with many faith traditions, the fasting itself isn't really the point. Going without food and water is, rather, a device, intended to sharpen our senses and lead to reflection. This reflection is notably, pointedly, not a personal pursuit. All through the Yom Kippur prayers, we're called to do "cheshbon nefesh," a moral accounting, as a community: "We have sinned," we pray. "Forgive us." » Read more

Palestinian TV airs daring satire ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Christian Science Monitor by Joshua Mitnick - September 20, 2009 - 12:00am On "Saturday Night Live," which has long parodied politicians ranging from Jimmy Carter to Sarah Palin, these characters would be well within bounds: An Islamist judge who is a latent homosexual. A negotiator who emerges from peace talks stripped to his boxers. A president who worries about his Israeli-issued checkpoint pass. But this is Palestinian state TV. Premièring during the holy month of Ramadan, the first-ever Palestinian political satire show turns national leaders and military strongmen into absurd protagonists on its nightly broadcasts, winning a growing viewership. » Read more

Hamas: Elections cannot be held on tim ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency September 28, 2009 - 12:00am Hamas believes that elections simply cannot be held on schedule on 25 January 2010, sources in the movement in the West Bank told Ma’an on Sunday. » Read more

Dahlan warns of third intifada over Al-Aqsa clashes ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency September 28, 2009 - 12:00am Muhammad Dahlan, a member of Fatah's Central Committee, warned on Sunday a third intifada could arise in light of "Israel's contempt for the feelings of Muslims." Responding to clashes that left dozens of Palestinians injured by police batons and tear-gas canisters on Sunday, Dahlan condemned Israel for allowing "extremist Jewish groups" to "storm the Al-Aqsa Mosque." In a statement, Dahlan said he considered "the violation of the sanctity of Al-Aqsa playing with fire and crossing red lines." He said Israeli authorities permitted groups to enter the area to "attack worshipers inside." » Read more

Erekat: Israel deliberately escalating tensions in Jerusalem ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Jonathan Lis - September 28, 2009 - 12:00am Palestinian leaders warned Israel on Sunday not to stoke tension in Jerusalem in the hope of thwarting peace talks, after clashes at a sacred site in which Palestinians and Israeli police were injured. "At a time when [U.S.] President [Barack] Obama is trying to bridge the divide between Palestinians and Israelis, and to get negotiations back on track, Israel is deliberately escalating tensions in Jerusalem," chief Palestinian peace negotiator Saeb Erakat said Sunday evening. » Read more

Mount Hebron: Leftists bring Palestinians water ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Olga Gouresky - September 28, 2009 - 12:00am Activists of several left-wing organizations transferred water to Palestinians in the South Mount Hebron area on Saturday. They also tried clearing ways in order to access the Palestinian villages. One of the activists, Yaakov Manor, told Ynet about the area's water problem. "We left from several places on two buses and private vehicles. In South Mount Hebron there are villages in which some of the residents live in caves or temporary buildings." » Read more

Turkey wants UN body to discuss Gaza 'war crimes' ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters September 27, 2009 - 12:00am Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said on Saturday his country would push the Security Council to discuss a report by United Nations investigators accusing Israel and Palestinian gunmen of war crimes in the Gaza war. "We will definitely take the position to discuss this issue on the Security Council," Erdogan told reporters. » Read more

Clinton urges Arabs to normalize ties with Israel ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press September 26, 2009 - 12:00am Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton on Saturday urged Arab nations to take steps toward normalizing relations with Israel and supporting the Palestinians in an effort to help restart stalled Mideast peace talks. Clinton made the case with senior officials from Oman, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. The session followed President Barack Obama's talks this past week with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. » Read more

Anger at Jerusalem shrine clash ATFP World Press Roundup Article from BBC News September 28, 2009 - 12:00am Police used tear gas and stun grenades to disperse 150 Palestinian protesters who had thrown rocks at non-Muslims who entered the al-Aqsa mosque compound. The site, known to Jews as the Temple Mount, is sacred to both religions. Israeli police said the visitors were foreign tourists, but Palestinians said they were Jewish extremists. "At a time when (the US administration) is trying to bridge the divide... Israel is deliberately escalating tensions in Jerusalem," said Palestinian peace negotiator Saeb Erekat. » Read more

Hamas leader to give unity reply ATFP World Press Roundup Article from BBC News by Christian Fraser - September 28, 2009 - 12:00am Fatah, headed by the Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, and Hamas have been bitterly divided since Hamas took control of Gaza in May 2007. So far there have seven rounds of dialogue, with no breakthrough. The Egyptians have twice postponed the scheduled date for a signature as the row between the factions has festered. But Khaled Mashaal's latest visit to Cairo is thought to be significant. The Syrian-based Hamas leader is coming to give his side's response to a written Egyptian proposal on how they might finally come to an agreement. Prisoner issue » Read more

Gaza peace protester is imprisoned in own home ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The National by Jonathan Cook - September 28, 2009 - 12:00am Nine months after he helped to organise protests against Israel’s attack on Gaza, Samih Jabareen is a prisoner in his home in Jaffa, near Tel Aviv, an electronic bracelet around his ankle to alert the police should he step outside his front door. The 40-year-old actor and theatre director is one of dozens of Arab political activists in Israel who have faced long-term detention during and since Israel’s winter assault on Gaza in what human rights groups are calling political intimidation and repression of free speech by the Israeli police and courts. » Read more

Netanyahu runs a victory lap – but what has he won? ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The National by Tony Karon - (Opinion) September 27, 2009 - 12:00am Say this for Benjamin Netanyahu: he’s not short on chutzpah. He may be the leader of a country whose occupation of conquered territory has put it on the wrong side of UN resolutions for the past 42 years – and was accused of war crimes in a UN human rights report just this month – but that didn’t stop him from sticking a finger in the eye of a US president trying to broker an end to the Middle East’s most toxic conflict, or from rounding on members of the UN General Assembly who dared sit through a vicious speech by the Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. » Read more

The drama and the farce ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Arab News by Uri Avnery - (Opinion) September 28, 2009 - 12:00am No point denying it: In the first round of the match between Barack Obama and Benjamin Netanyahu, Obama was beaten. Obama had demanded a freeze of all settlement activity, including East Jerusalem, as a condition for convening a tripartite summit meeting, in the wake of which accelerated peace negotiations were to start, leading to peace between two states — Israel and Palestine. In the words of the ancient proverb, a journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step. Netanyahu has tripped Obama on his first step. The president of the United States has stumbled. » Read more

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