Middle East News: World Press Roundup

The CSM says Israel has a stake in the emergence of a democratic Egypt, but analysts say Israel fears an Islamist takeover. 10 Palestinians in Gaza are injured by Israeli airstrikes. Aaron David Miller says now is not the time for major diplomacy, but Leonard Fein says it is. Israel's military spokesman visited the UK incognito. The Knesset moves forward a bill to strip Azmi Bishara of his pension. Israelis worry about not having a UN ambassador. Israeli occupation forces in Hebron close a station to settlers. The head of NATO says the organization has a role to play in peace. Criminal charges are filed against UC Irvine students who heckled Israeli Amb. Oren, and the LA Times calls this "overkill." The New York City transit system is now host of competing ad campaigns. Ghassan Khatib looks at Palestinian views of unrest in Egypt. Smadar Perry says Israel needs to move fast on peace with the Palestinians.

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Israel's stake in an Egyptian democracy -- now ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Christian Science Monitor February 8, 2011 - 1:00am Israel’s peace treaty with Egypt once seemed as solid as the stones of the pyramids. It provided a “cold peace” for more than three decades between the former enemies. But the pact was based on a weak reed – the assumption that a friendly autocrat like Hosni Mubarak would always rule in Cairo. Now with young Egyptians like Google executive Wael Ghonim waging a pro-democracy revolt in Tahrir Square, the security pact’s future could be sinking like an army tank in the Sinai sands. » Read more

10 Palestinians injured in Gaza strikes ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency February 9, 2011 - 1:00am Ten Palestinians were injured Wednesday morning in Israeli air strikes which started after midnight and hit in a series of explosions running from the northern end of the Strip to the south. Spokesman of the higher committee of ambulance and emergency services Adham Abu Salmiya said that eight were lightly injured including two children and three women. The injured were transferred to the Kamal Odwan Hospital north of Gaza City. » Read more

On peace process: Time not to act ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Politico by Aaron David Miller - (Editorial) February 8, 2011 - 1:00am The pursuit of Arab-Israeli peace didn’t need another nail in the coffin. But in the wake of political changes sweeping through Tunisia, Egypt, Jordan and perhaps elsewhere, you can almost hear the hammer. » Read more

Face of Israel's armed forces visited UK incognito ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters by Dan Williams - February 8, 2011 - 1:00am The chief spokesman of Israel's armed forces said on Tuesday he had visited Britain incognito and under guard for fear of being targeted by pro-Palestinian protesters. » Read more

News Analysis: Israel fears Islamist takeover in Egypt ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua by Adam Gonn - February 8, 2011 - 1:00am Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday expressed concern that the demonstrations in Egypt may lead to Islamist groups taking over if President Hosni Mubarak were to step down. Netanyahu outlined three possible scenarios for the future of Egypt, ranging from a secular democracy to an Iranian-style theocracy. There is also another possibility: that the Islamists will exploit the situation to gain power over the country and lead it backwards, Netanyahu added. » Read more

Israel's parliament promotes bill to strip former Arab lawmaker of pension ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua by Gur Salomon - February 8, 2011 - 1:00am The Israeli Knesset parliament on Tuesday voted to promote a bill that would deny pension benefits from Azmi Bishara, a former legislator suspected of assisting Hezbollah during the 2006 Lebanon war. The Knesset House Committee approved the bill, dubbed "Bishara Law," for second and third readings. The bill is expected to be brought for a second round of voting in the Knesset plenum within weeks. » Read more

'Netanyahu handing UN arena over to the Palestinians' ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Shlomo Shamir - February 9, 2011 - 1:00am Diplomats at the United Nations on Tuesday were harshly critical of Israel's ongoing failure to appoint a permanent ambassador to the UN, saying it has essentially forfeited the arena to the Palestinians. While Israel is represented by an acting ambassador, Meron Reuben, he lacks the authority of a permanent representative. But Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman were unable to agree on a permanent candidate for months, and the man they finally settled on, Environmental Protection Minister Gilad Erdan, rejected the job this week. » Read more

IDF station in Hebron made off limits to settlers after 30 years ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Anshel Pfeffer - February 9, 2011 - 1:00am The Israel Defense Forces has finally closed one of its main outposts in Hebron to Jewish settlers. The Mitkanim outpost, adjacent to the city's Avraham Avinu neighborhood, is permanently staffed by a company of soldiers. But while all other army bases and outposts nationwide are closed to civilians unless they obtain a special permit, Mitkanim has served Avraham Avinu residents for 30 years as a shortcut to Shuhada Street, which is one of Hebron's main arteries. » Read more

NATO chief sees group's future involvement in Israeli Arab peace process ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Amir Oren - (Opinion) February 9, 2011 - 1:00am Anders Fogh Rasmussen discusses concerns over whether Egypt may reassess its foreign relations after Mubarak eventually steps down. The North Atlantic Alliance "supports the efforts of the Egyptian and the Tunisian peoples for the establishment of a free society and a democratically elected government," says NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen, who was scheduled to arrive in Israel last night for talks with senior officials. » Read more

Charges filed against ‘Irvine 11’ ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA) February 8, 2011 - 1:00am Criminal charges were filed against 11 Muslim students who disrupted a speech at the University of California, Irvine, by Israel's U.S. ambassador. During the Feb. 8, 2010 speech by Michael Oren, the 11 defendants stood one by one and shouted at the ambassador, calling him a “mass murderer” and a “war criminal,” among other insults. The disruptions, organized to protest Israeli actions in Gaza, prompted Oren to walk off the stage twice. » Read more

Overkill in Orange County ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Los Angeles Times (Editorial) February 7, 2011 - 1:00am When 11 students affiliated with the Muslim Student Union at UC Irvine disrupted a speech by the Israeli ambassador to the United States last year, they no doubt knew there would be consequences. Rather than staging a traditional protest — by leafleting, say, or holding up signs expressing their disapproval — they attended the event as members of the audience and then stood up, one by one, and shouted the ambassador down more than a dozen times. » Read more

Battle over Mideast transit ads heating up across U.S. ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA) by Ben Harris - February 8, 2011 - 1:00am With public bickering over the Israeli-Palestinian conflict already having spilled over into university student senates, corporate pension boards and even local farmers markets, the latest battlefield in the debate over the conflict is municipal transit systems. » Read more

Seize the Day, Tomorrow Could Be Worse ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Forward by Leonard Fein - February 8, 2011 - 1:00am “We are witnessing a genuine grassroots revolution in Egypt and its outcome will have to reflect the will of the people, not our desires.” So writes a friend from Israel. But “the will of the people,” as awesomely impressive it has been these past days in Tahrir Square and elsewhere, inevitably becomes a chimera the morning after the old regime has been chased from power. » Read more

The revolution isn't over yet ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Bitterlemons by Ghassan Khatib - (Blog) February 7, 2011 - 1:00am A PALESTINIAN VIEW Fourteen days into the massive public protests against Egypt's regime, it is still too early to deeply analyze the situation. Let us instead touch on some of the questions and problems that the revolution--as they call it in Egypt--is creating and trying to overcome. » Read more

Return to negotiations now ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Bitterlemons by Smadar Peri - (Blog) February 7, 2011 - 1:00am AN ISRAELI VIEW - Now, especially now, when the intifada in Egypt projects out to streets and rulers' palaces throughout the Arab world and the virus of demonstrations could land at any moment in another country--this is precisely the right time to return to the negotiating table with the Palestinians. Yes, we have demonstrated maturity and political loyalty to President Hosni Mubarak. Nor do we miss an opportunity to explain how volatile and worrisome the situation is. But this is not enough. » Read more

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