Middle East News: World Press Roundup

NEWS: The underperformance of PM Netanyahu's factions in the Israeli elections is seen as a rebuke by voters. Political novice Lapid is widely viewed as the big winner in the vote, with 19 seats, and as the new kingmaker. Palestinians say they are planning new outreach to the Israeli public, and say any new Israeli government should be evaluated according to its policies. A 21-year-old Palestinian woman is shot and killed by occupation forces near Hebron, and a teenage girl dies of her wounds in Bethlehem. Hamas officials say they agree Pres. Abbas can head a new unity government. Abbas says he is willing to talk to any Israeli government that recognizes Palestinian statehood. COMMENTARY: Tom Friedman suggests a series of steps, including on Israeli-Palestinian issues, for the incoming Secretary of State. Crispian Balmer thinks the close vote in Israel may constrain Netanyahu's foreign policy options, assuming he remains PM. Jack Khoury says Israel's Arab citizens can't help but feel they've lost an opportunity in this election. Amos Harel says Israel's new government will probably have two priorities: the role of the ultra-Orthodox in society and Iran. Aluf Benn explains why, as he predicted, political newcomer Lapid outperformed expectations while Netanyahu underperformed them. Jeffrey Goldberg asks if the results can help the peace process. Raja Shehadeh says the election means little for most Palestinians. Ron Kampeas says Pres. Obama is likely to see more Israeli support for a two-state solution in the results. The National says the vote shows an ambivalent Israeli public, which offers opportunities for the Palestinians. Faisal Al Yafai worries that Israelis and Palestinians are too divided internally to make agreements with each other. Zvika Krieger says Israel's next election will be more important than this one.

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Tepid Vote for Netanyahu in Israel Is Seen as Rebuke ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times by Jodi Rudoren - January 22, 2013 - 1:00am   » Read more

Israeli election casts ex-TV anchor as kingmaker ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press by Karin Laub - January 23, 2013 - 1:00am   Israel's election has put a suave former TV news anchor and political novice in the role of kingmaker, and he has signaled he will use his power to try to move the next government to more centrist positions on Mideast peacemaking. » Read more

Palestinian surprise, skepticism after Israel vote ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press by Karin Laub - January 23, 2013 - 1:00am   Palestinian officials said Wednesday they were pleasantly surprised by the unexpected surge of moderate parties in Israel's election, but doubt it's enough to change the prime minister's hard-line policies. » Read more

Palestinians: Israeli gov't should be evaluated by policies ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua January 23, 2013 - 1:00am    Palestinian officials said Wednesday that the upcoming Israeli government should be evaluated by its policies rather than its structure. » Read more

Israeli soldiers kill Palestinian woman in West Bank ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters January 23, 2013 - 1:00am    Israeli soldiers shot and killed a 21-year-old Palestinian woman near the West Bank city of Hebron on Wednesday and wounded another local youth, Palestinian medics said. » Read more

Azza teen dies of Israel gunshot wounds ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency January 23, 2013 - 1:00am A teenager shot by Israeli forces during clashes in Bethlehem last week died on Wednesday, the boy's family said. » Read more

Hamas official: No dispute over Abbas heading unity govt ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency January 23, 2013 - 1:00am There is no disagreement within Hamas about Mahmoud Abbas heading a unity government to be formed later this month, deputy head of Hamas politburo Mousa Abu Marzouq said Tuesday. » Read more

Abbas: We're ready to talk to any Israeli government that recognizes Palestine ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz January 23, 2013 - 1:00am   The Palestinians welcome peace talks with any Israeli government that recognizes a Palestinian state, President Abbas’ spokesman said on Wednesday, after the results of the Israeli elections were announced. » Read more

Break All the Rules ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times by Thomas L. Friedman - (Opinion) January 22, 2013 - 1:00am   » Read more

Israeli vote might constrain Netanyahu's foreign policy ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters by Crispian Balmer - (Opinion) January 23, 2013 - 1:00am   A weaker-than-expected showing by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel's election might limit his room for manoeuvre against Iran and put his hardline stance toward Palestinian statehood under renewed pressure. » Read more

For Arabs, success of Israeli elections is mingled with regret ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Jack Khoury - (Opinion) January 22, 2013 - 1:00am   Arab parties summed up the elections with a mixed feeling of success and a missed opportunity. A final appraisal will be possible only after the soldiers' votes are counted and we know whether the United Arab List-Ta'al will hang on to their fifth seat, and if Hadash and Balad will keep their current tallies of four and three MKs respectively. » Read more

Israel's new, post-election agenda: first the ultra-Orthodox, then Iran ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Amos Harel - (Opinion) January 23, 2013 - 1:00am   In the past decades, the general understanding on the political scene was that Israeli elections are determined, above all, by voters’ sense of personal security. » Read more

Why Netanyahu failed and Lapid surprised ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Aluf Benn - (Opinion) January 23, 2013 - 1:00am   Benjamin Netanyahu’s election campaign failed because he had nothing much to say. The world-champion orator, king of political survivors, lost his connection to the public mid-term and has been coasting ever since, in the absence of a serious challenger. He did not offer any hope to Israelis, he conducted a pathetic campaign and, instead of issuing a platform, made do with promising to be a "strong prime minister." » Read more

Will Israel’s Election Help the Peace Process? ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Bloomberg by Jeffrey Goldberg - (Opinion) January 23, 2013 - 1:00am   » Read more

Israel's elections mean little to most Palestinians – with good reason ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Guardian by Raja Shehadeh - (Opinion) January 23, 2013 - 1:00am   » Read more

Obama’s likely takeaway from Israeli election: More two-state advocates ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA) by Ron Kampeas - (Opinion) January 23, 2013 - 1:00am   With the Israeli election results split evenly between the right-wing bloc and everyone else, no one in Washington is ready to stake their reputation on what the outcome means for the U.S.-Israel relationship and the Middle East. » Read more

Israeli vote reveals political weakness ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The National (Editorial) January 23, 2013 - 1:00am   Jobs, rent and food: these are the issues that sent Israelis to the polls this week. The occupation of Palestinian lands on their doorstep and the uprisings that are reshaping the entire region were largely ignored. But the ostrich with its head stuck in the sand is hardly in a position of strength. » Read more

The peace process wanders leaderless among delusions ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The National (Opinion) January 23, 2013 - 1:00am   The Palestinians and Israelis have had enough of each other. Over the decades, the two populations have tired of the inability of their leaders to find solutions to what ought to be relatively straightforward questions: how to right the wrongs of the past and live together in the future. The problem is that each population is telling itself stories that have little basis in reality. » Read more

The Three Men Who Could Save Israel's Center-Left ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Atlantic by Zvika Krieger - (Opinion) January 23, 2013 - 1:00am   » Read more

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