Middle East News: World Press Roundup

NEWS: A rift seems to be growing between PM Netanyahu and DM Barak over relations with the US, fueling speculation about an early election. FM Lieberman calls the bickering "unnecessary.” Nationalistic Jewish activists in Israel are increasingly moving into Arab neighborhoods in mixed cities. Journalists at Ha'aretz go on strike. The UN is likely to hold a debate on nonmember observer state status for Palestine in mid-November, after the US election. Hamas denies accusations by Human Rights Watch that it engages in torture and other systematic abuses.The PA says it doesn't expect much help from the donor community and that its budget crisis will worsen. Jewish South Africans are trying to block measures to label Israeli settlement products. A Palestinian citizen of Israel is indicted on espionage charges. Settlers are trying to get Israeli occupation authorities to grant them control of a house in occupied Hebron. Paris signs a cooperation agreement with Palestinian East Jerusalem. Palestinian officials meet with Egypt's intelligence chief. COMMENTARY: Haaretz interviews Dalia Gavriely-Nur on Israelis and peace. The Jerusalem Post complains about what it calls “the radicalization of the Israeli Arab sector.” Joseph Kechichian asks if Israel is a threat to US national interests. George Hishmeh says time is running out for peace. Nassif Hitti asks if a “Palestinian Spring” or a third intifada is in the offing. Noam Sheizaf looks at changes in the Israeli media. Peter Beinart says it's not possible to blame the Palestinians alone, or even mainly, for the present diplomatic impasse.

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Rift Grows Between Israeli Leaders Over Relations With U.S. ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times by Isabel Kershner - October 3, 2012 - 12:00am JERUSALEM — A growing rift between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his defense minister, Ehud Barak, a political rival, centers on Israel’s strategic relations with the United States as Mr. Barak tries to turn the tension between Mr. Netanyahu and Washington to his political advantage. » Read more

News Analysis: Israeli PM's swipe at defense minister sparks election fever ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua by Adam Gonn - October 3, 2012 - 12:00am   JERUSALEM, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday criticized Defense Minister Ehud Barak for his involvement in Israel-U.S. relations and thereby reignited speculation about earlier parliamentary elections,possibly as early as February 2013. » Read more

FM: Public PM-Barak bickering is unnecessary ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Gil Hoffman - October 4, 2012 - 12:00am Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman spoke out Thursday against the public dispute between Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak reported in the media this week. In comments leaked to the media on Tuesday, Netanyahu criticized Barak for undermining him in meetings with US officials. » Read more

Devout Israeli Jews moving to Arab-Jewish cities ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press by Amy Teibel - October 4, 2012 - 12:00am ACRE, Israel — Orthodox Jewish Israelis, the driving force of the West Bank settlement movement, have begun to turn their attention inward to Israel itself, moving into Arab areas of mixed cities in an attempt to cement the Jewish presence there. » Read more

Israel's Haaretz paper strikes over layoffs ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press October 3, 2012 - 12:00am JERUSALEM —Workers at Israel's respected Haaretz newspaper have begun a strike to protest layoffs. The workers said Wednesday that they would not update the Haaretz website until midnight and will not publish the next day's paper. The issue is the planned dismissal of about 100 employees. Haaretz has a relatively small circulation, but it is an influential daily popular with Israel's elite. » Read more

Palestinian UN status likely to be debated in November ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters October 4, 2012 - 12:00am UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) -- The United Nations is likely to hold a debate on whether to upgrade the Palestinians' UN status to a sovereign country in mid-November -- after the US election, the president of the 193-member UN General Assembly said Wednesday. Having failed last year to win recognition of full statehood at the United Nations, President Mahmoud Abbas said last week he would seek a less-ambitious status upgrade at the world body to make it a "non-member state" like the Vatican. » Read more

Hamas ministry rejects torture allegations ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency October 3, 2012 - 12:00am GAZA CITY (Ma'an) -- The Ministry of Interior in Gaza on Wednesday said it was reviewing a Human Rights Watch report that accused the Hamas security forces of torturing detainees. The Hamas-run ministry says it applauds the role of human rights organizations in protecting rights. "We assure you that our detention centers are open for human rights centers," the ministry said in a statement. » Read more

PA budget crisis expected to worsen ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency October 3, 2012 - 12:00am BETHLEHEM (Ma'an) -- The Palestinian Authority does not expect a significant boost in foreign budget assistance to follow a meeting of donor countries in New York last month. A report presented by Nabil Qassis, the Palestinian Authority finance minister, has received no significant response, a senior government official told Ma'an. The official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said late Tuesday that the financial crisis would likely escalate widely in the coming weeks and months due to foreign aid shortfalls. » Read more

S. African Jews, minister at loggerheads amid West Bank labeling row ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Jeremy Gordin - October 4, 2012 - 12:00am JOHANNESBURG – The leader of South Africa's central Jewish organization recently slammed Trade and Industries Minister Rob Davies for ignoring the Jewish community when proposing legislation labeling goods imported from the West Bank as originating from “the Occupied Palestinian Territories.” » Read more

Arab-Israeli indicted on espionage charges ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Ahiya Raved - October 4, 2012 - 12:00am It has been cleared for publication that a 26-year-old resident of Majd al-Kurum has been arrested and indicted on espionage charges following a joint police and Shin Bet investigation.  Milad Mohammed Khatib, a truck driver, is suspected of spying for Hezbollah and gathering intelligence on IDF bases and defense facilities. He has also allegedly tracked the movement of President Shimon Peres. » Read more

Settlers to appeal decision on Hebron building ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Tovah Lazaroff - October 4, 2012 - 12:00am Settlers plan to file a legal appeal to of the Civil Administration’s refusal to certify their purchase of a three family building, known as Beit Hamachpela, located in the West Bank city of Hebron. The refusal was based on technical reasons. Settlers moved into the building at the end of March after buying it from its Palestinian owners. In early April, security forces forcibly evicted them within a week pending investigation of the purchase claim and because they had failed to obtain the necessary permits to enter the building. » Read more

Bypassing Israel, French capital endorses unprecedented agreement with ‘East Jerusalem’ ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Times of Israel by Elhanan Miller - October 4, 2012 - 12:00am France’s most populous administrative zone, encompassing the capital Paris, has signed a cooperation agreement with the Palestinian district of Jerusalem, a move organizers say is designed to send a “political message” of solidarity with the Palestinians and their aspirations for a future capital in the city. The French region described the agreement as the “first of its kind.” » Read more

Abbas aide meets Egypt intelligence chief ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency October 3, 2012 - 12:00am RAMALLAH (Ma'an) -- President Mahmoud Abbas' senior aide Tayyeb Abdul-Rahim on Wednesday met Egypt's intelligence chief Raafat Shehata to discuss relations. Abdul-Rahim, Abbas' secretary-general, thanked the newly-appointed Shehata for Egypt's official and popular support for Palestinians and their struggle for statehood, and the Egyptian government's efforts to release Palestinians detained in Israeli jails, a statement from his office said.

Are Israelis truly a peace-seeking people? ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Ravit Hecht - (Interview) October 3, 2012 - 12:00am The yearning for peace, purportedly one of the fundamental components of Israeli society and culture, takes several forms: prayer (“May He who makes peace in the supernal regions bestow peace upon us and upon all Israel”), Zionist statements (the Scroll of Independence), songs and more. » Read more

Sakhnin incitement ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post (Editorial) October 3, 2012 - 12:00am The country’s Arab parliamentarians managed this week to surpass even their own most strident incitement against the state that bankrolls them and guarantees their rights to subvert it. Speaking in Sakhnin at the 12th memorial to the 13 Arabs shot dead during the October 2000 riots, MKs Ahmed Tibi and Taleb a-Sanaa in effect agitated for violent vengeance, thereby ramping up already inordinately confrontational rhetoric. » Read more

Is Israel a threat to US national interests? ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Gulf News by Joseph A. Kechichian - (Opinion) October 4, 2012 - 12:00am Cartoonists all over the world showed rare talent this week as many depicted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s ‘Wylie Coyote’ presentation in colourful montages, one illustrating his head in the shape of a bomb, and an imaginary red line above which the fuse ignited. » Read more

Time is running out for peace ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Gulf News by George S. Hishmeh - (Opinion) October 4, 2012 - 12:00am The Palestinian Question has been temporarily shelved — hopefully only till November — much to the disappointment of many a Palestinian who was expecting the ball to start rolling this month. » Read more

Is This a Palestinian Spring, Or a Coming Third Intifada? ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Al-Hayat by Nassif Hitti - (Analysis) October 3, 2012 - 12:00am Are we witnessing the harbingers of a “Palestinian Spring” or the first signs of a long-awaited third Palestinian intifada, whose triggers — many observers say — come from the Palestinian issue itself? » Read more

Wither The Israeli Press? ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Daily Beast by Noam Sheizaf - (Opinion) October 3, 2012 - 12:00am On the Thursday before Yom Kippur, several hundred employees of the Israeli newspaper Maariv left their desks and marched under the hot Tel Aviv sun toward one of three buildings towering over Azrieli mall. They occupied the building's lobby, determined to make their way to the offices of IDB Holdings. Guards shut down the elevators, but about two dozen employees broke into the emergency stairwell and climbed to the 41st floor. » Read more

Who "Froze" The Peace Process? ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Daily Beast by Peter Beinart - (Opinion) October 3, 2012 - 12:00am Jeff Goldberg has a new Bloomberg column arguing that President Obama has not done enough to support the rebels in Syria, which had me mostly nodding in agreement until I reached this offhand comment about Israel: "Obama was wrong to draw a line in the sand over settlements, which are a derivative issue (if the Israelis and Palestinians settle their borders, the settlement issue will also be solved). But because he made it an issue without a thought to follow-up, he managed to freeze the process." » Read more

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