Middle East News: World Press Roundup

NEWS: PM Netanyahu is expected to win today's election in Israel. A candidate from the right wing "Jewish Home" party generates controversy with comments imagining "blowing up" Muslim holy sites in occupied East Jerusalem. The Arab League urges Palestinian citizens of Israel to vote. Palestinians say they see no hope for peace in Israel's election. UK FM Hague says without progress this year, "people will increasingly conclude that a two state solution has become impossible." The Malaysian PM is visiting Gaza. Three protesters are injured by Palestinian security services during a disturbance at a refugee camp near Ramallah. Netanyahu's relationship with Obama is expected to remain tense. The UN says trauma and PTSD have more than doubled in Gaza since the November conflict. The Economist looks at a new film about the looting of Palestinian libraries in 1948. COMMENTARY: The Washington Post urges the Obama administration to press Netanyahu to form a centrist coalition. Bernard Avishai and Sam Bahour say the parties desperately need American leadership and the second Obama term provides a huge opportunity. Sefi Rachlevsky says it's pointless voting for Netanyahu. Eitan Haber says Israelis must look for "the best of a bad lot." Gershon Baskin says Israelis are celebrating their democracy. Aluf Benn says the biggest beneficiary will probably be political newcomer Yair Lapid. Douglas Feith argues that Israelis aren't turning to the right, they're just recognizing there is no Palestinian peace partner, while Linda Heard sees Israelis as preferring aggressive policies over peace. Hussein Ibish says superficial Palestinian "unity" deals shouldn't come at the expense of vital institution-building policies.

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Israel Votes in Election Likely to Retain Netanyahu ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times by Isabel Kershner - January 22, 2013 - 1:00am   » Read more

Rightist Israeli Candidate’s Remarks Cause Stir ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times by Isabel Kershner - January 22, 2013 - 1:00am   » Read more

Arab League official urges Arab Israelis to vote ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press January 22, 2013 - 1:00am     » Read more

Palestinians see no hope for peace in Israeli polls ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters by Noah Browning - January 22, 2013 - 1:00am    Palestinians evinced weary indifference on Tuesday as Israelis voted in an election set to produce a hardline government keener to expand Jewish settlements on occupied land than seek peace. » Read more

UK says two-state solution almost dead ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters January 22, 2013 - 1:00am Britain said on Tuesday prospects for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict are almost dead because of expanding Jewish settlement in occupied territory, and warned Israel it was losing international support. Foreign Secretary William Hague spoke as Israelis voted in an election likely to yield a hardline rightist government keener to thicken settlement on land where Palestinians want to establish statehood than seek peace. » Read more

Malaysian premier arrives in Gaza Strip ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency January 22, 2013 - 1:00am The prime minister of Malaysia arrived in the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, the first visit of its kind in diplomatic relations between both governments. Prime Minister Muhammad Najib Abdul Razak arrived in Gaza via the Rafah crossing, accompanied by his wife, and was welcomed by a Hamas delegation led by Gaza premier Ismail Haniyeh. The Malaysian premier held a brief press conference, praising the Palestinian people for enduring Israel's oppression and urging Palestinian factions to unite. » Read more

3 shot, injured by PA security in Ramallah camp ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency January 22, 2013 - 1:00am Three Palestinian youth were shot and injured Sunday evening in clashes with Palestinian security forces in the al-Amari refugee camp near Ramallah.  The men were wounded by live ammunition in the legs, Palestinian medics said. Clashes broke out after a group of youth closed the main road between Ramallah and Jerusalem during a demonstration in solidarity with Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails. PA police officers and national security forces deployed to reopen the road, and protesters pelted them with stones. » Read more

Obama's dysfunctional relationship with Netanyahu likely to trundle on ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Guardian by Chris McGreal - January 22, 2013 - 1:00am   » Read more

UN: Psychological trauma 'doubled' in Gaza since war ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency January 22, 2013 - 1:00am Incidence of psychological trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder have more than doubled in Gaza since Israel's November war in the enclave, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees says. Since Israel's eight-day bombardment of Gaza, which ended on Nov. 21, 42 percent of patients treated by UNRWA for psychological trauma have been under the age of nine, the agency says.  » Read more

Looting books from Palestinian libraries: Dark stories ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Economist January 22, 2013 - 1:00am   » Read more

Following the elections in Israel, a reset ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Washington Post (Editorial) January 22, 2013 - 1:00am   » Read more

U.S. Inaction, Mideast Cataclysm? ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times by Bernard Avishai - (Opinion) January 22, 2013 - 1:00am   » Read more

A wasted vote is a vote for Bibi ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Sefi Rachlevsky - (Opinion) January 22, 2013 - 1:00am   » Read more

Best of a bad lot ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Eitan Haber - (Opinion) January 22, 2013 - 1:00am Years ago an American defense secretary told an Israeli defense minister over lunch: "We send our finest attorneys to handle the billion-dollar deals with Israel – such as the plane acquisitions - and who do you, the Israelis, send? A few clerks." » Read more

Our celebration of democracy ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Gershon Baskin - (Opinion) January 22, 2013 - 1:00am Today is the holiest day in the calendar of democracy. It is also the holiest day in the calendar year for the future of Israel. On this day we stand before ourselves, our values in hand, our world views and visions for our shared future, and we add our voice to those of millions of our countrymen and women in determining what will happen here over the next years. » Read more

While you all were busy with Bennett ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Aluf Benn - (Opinion) January 22, 2013 - 1:00am   » Read more

Missing Peace ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Foreign Policy (Opinion) January 22, 2013 - 1:00am   » Read more

Israelis prefer swords to doves ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Arab News by Linda Heard - (Opinion) January 22, 2013 - 1:00am The days when Israelis tuned into the Voice of Peace radio, broadcast from an offshore cargo vessel, and threw their support behind the Peace Now movement are long gone. » Read more

Dumping Fayyad for phoney 'unity' would be wrong ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The National by Hussein Ibish - (Opinion) January 22, 2013 - 1:00am   » Read more

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