Middle East News: World Press Roundup

NEWS: The New York Times looks at the use of TV in Israel's election. Right-wing parties appear to have a commanding lead in the polls, but PM Netanyahu might try to form a coalition with political centrists. Some Palestinians despair over the prospect of another Netanyahu victory. Netanyahu pledges that if he is elected, no settlements in the occupied West Bank will be dismantled. The rise of extremist politician Naftali Bennett may have little to do with his annexation plans. A joint Jewish-Arab party in Israel is trying to make headway. Some analysts believe the economy, not peace issues, will dominate the agenda of the next Israeli government. Officials from Hamas and Fatah say they have agreed on a timetable for implementing reconciliation agreements. The Palestinian Election Commission says it still waiting for permission to resume operating in Gaza. 12 Palestinian refugees are killed in Syria. PM Fayyad says the PA's fiscal crisis is gradually improving. Contradicting some other security officials, senior occupation officers say they don't think another intifada is brewing. Israel may be quietly backing away from highly controversial settlement expansion plans. COMMENTARY: The Jerusalem Post interviews Netanyahu. Noam Sheizaf looks at the fragmentation of the Israeli left. Jonathan Tepperman profiles DM Barak. Roger Cohen says historically there is no right of return for refugees. Dov Waxman says Jewish Americans aren't going to abandon Israel. Yossi Sarid says there is a culture of lying in the Israeli military that no politicians have succeeded, and few have tried, to rectify. Hassan Barari thinks Pres. Obama will be too focused on domestic issues to confront Netanyahu on peace. Dalia Hatuqa says, despite constant criticism of settlement activity, trade with Europe actually sustains settlements. Daniel Birnbaum complains about the treatment of Palestinians at Pres. Peres' house. Hussein Ibish says columnist Jeffrey Goldberg has been subjected to unfair attacks by both the extreme left and right.

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For Israeli TV Viewers, a Big Helping of Candidates, Both Real and Spoofed ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times by Isabel Kershner - January 18, 2013 - 1:00am   » Read more

Hawkish bloc leads in polls ahead of Israel vote ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press January 18, 2013 - 1:00am   » Read more

Israel's Netanyahu might look to centre after ballot ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters by Jeffrey Heller - January 18, 2013 - 1:00am    Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu looks set to form a new governing coalition after next week's election, polls show, with the only question being whether he wants to soften its hardline contours. » Read more

Palestinians despair over likely Netanyahu win ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press by Karin Laub - January 18, 2013 - 1:00am   » Read more

Israel election: Netanyahu 'will not dismantle settlements' ATFP World Press Roundup Article from BBC News January 18, 2013 - 1:00am   Israel's prime minister has said no Jewish settlements in the West Bank will be removed during his next term in office if he wins elections on Tuesday. » Read more

Israeli voters flock to 'brother' Naftali Bennett - but not all his policies ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Christian Science Monitor by Joshua Mitnick - January 18, 2013 - 1:00am   Every Israeli election season, there’s a politician with a provocative message who spurs his party to prominence and popularity. » Read more

Jewish-Arab party makes long-shot election bid ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press by Diaa Hadid - January 18, 2013 - 1:00am   An Arab woman who's been toiling on the fringes of Israeli politics for nearly two decades has broken out of obscurity in this year's election with a non-conformist message that's resonating with protest voters. » Read more

Economy, not peace talks, to top agenda of next Israeli gov't ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua by Adam Gonn - January 18, 2013 - 1:00am   With Israel's parliamentary elections only five days away, the economy is expected to become the top issue that the next government will have to deal with, eclipsing the stalled negotiations with the Palestinians. » Read more

Palestinian rivals agree to unification steps ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Los Angeles Times by Maher Abukhater - January 18, 2013 - 1:00am   » Read more

Elections commission awaiting authorization for Gaza work ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency January 18, 2013 - 1:00am The head of the central elections commission said Friday the organization is ready to start work in the Gaza Strip as soon as it receives authorization from the government. » Read more

Airstrike on Damascus kills 12 Palestinian refugees ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency January 18, 2013 - 1:00am Twelve Palestinian refugees were killed and more than 20 were injured in an airstrike on southern Damascus on Thursday, according to local media. » Read more

Fayyad says PA financial crisis improving ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency January 18, 2013 - 1:00am Palestinian Authority premier Salam Fayyad said Thursday that the financial crisis besieging his government was set to improve in the next month. » Read more

'We don't see a third intifada on the approach' ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post January 18, 2013 - 1:00am   » Read more

Israel Backs Away from Controversial Building Plan? ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Media Line January 18, 2013 - 1:00am   Senior Israeli Official Says Won’t Build Without New Permits   Israeli police tore down Palestinian protest tents in an area slated for Israeli building just outside Jerusalem after the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Israeli government. Some 50 Palestinian demonstrators were removed from the area earlier this week.   » Read more

PM: Obama and I do have our differences on peace process ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Herb Keinon - (Opinion) January 18, 2013 - 1:00am He is in an enviable political position, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu. He is in a political position most other world leaders would die for. » Read more

Israel's Left in the Dark ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Foreign Affairs by Noam Sheizaf - (Opinion) January 18, 2013 - 1:00am   » Read more

Barak's Last Battle ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Foreign Affairs (Opinion) January 18, 2013 - 1:00am   » Read more

Whatever happens after Tuesday's elections, American Jews won’t abandon Israel ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Dov Waxman - (Opinion) January 18, 2013 - 1:00am   » Read more

From whence the defense stink comes ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Yossi Sarid - (Opinion) January 18, 2013 - 1:00am   Yaakov Sharett this week reminded us of some things we had forgotten. Writing to Haaretz, he quoted directly from the documentation in the diary kept by his father Moshe Sharett, Israel’s second prime minister. “Sharett: ‘In the army there is no truth.’’’ » Read more

Is Obama getting tougher on Israeli prime minister? ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Arab News by Hassan Barari - (Opinion) January 18, 2013 - 1:00am In closed-door briefings, President Barack Obama leveled tough criticisms at the Israeli leadership. “Israel doesn’t know what its own best interests are,” he told his associates. President Obama warned that the policies adopted by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had only complicated Israel’s status within the international community. » Read more

EU Trade Sustains Israeli Settlements in West Bank ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Al-Monitor by Dalia Hatuqa - (Opinion) January 18, 2013 - 1:00am   » Read more

Embarrassment at Israeli President Shimon Peres's House ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Al-Monitor by Shlomi Eldar - (Opinion) January 18, 2013 - 1:00am   It was supposed to be a routine ceremony, just another one of those events that appear on the official calendar of the President’s House. People give speeches and applaud, someone receives a trophy or certificate, and the guests share in the excitement of participating in some official event or other. Then everyone goes back home to get on with their day-to-day business. » Read more

The Goldberg Variations ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Daily Beast by Hussein Ibish - (Opinion) January 18, 2013 - 1:00am   » Read more

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