ATFP News Roundup April 1, 2014 | The American Task Force on Palestine

Daily News Issue Date:

April 1, 2014

News:

News:

Jewish “price tag” extremists spray hate graffiti on a monastery in Israel. (AP/AFP/PNN/Ha’aretz)

Israel may impose a partial settlement freeze to keep peace talks going with the Palestinians. (Reuters/Ha’aretz)

The US may be considering the release of convicted spy Jonathan Pollard. (AP/New York Times/Washington Post/Ha’aretz)

Israeli Construction and Housing Minister Ariel says Pollard would not want to be freed for Palestinian prisoners. (Jerusalem Post)

Sec. Kerry will meet with Pres. Abbas in Ramallah tomorrow. (PNN)

Gen. Dempsey says the instability in the Middle East creates opportunity for Israeli-Arab alliances. (JTA)

King Abdullah of Jordan meets with Israeli opposition leader Herzog. (AFP/Jerusalem Post/Jordan Times)

Israeli occupation forces detain a teenage Palestinian girl in Hebron. (Ma’an)

The decline of Hamas and the increasing strength of Islamic Jihad may result in a new wave of chaos in Gaza. (Ha’aretz)

FIFA has reportedly threatened to expel Israel over restrictions on Palestinians. (Jerusalem Post/Times of Israel)

The Lebanese army tries to halt Syria-related clashes in the country. (AP)

A cast of young Syrian refugees in Jordan is inspired by Shakespeare. (New York Times)

Al-Qaeda says Saudi Arabia’s new counter-terrorism measures show that the Kingdom is controlled by the US. (Reuters)

PM Cameron orders an inquiry into the activities of the Muslim Brotherhood in Britain. (New York Times)

Commentary:

ATFP Youth Outreach Coordinator Tala Haikal says youth need to see peace as an idea that is still fresh. (Huffington Post)

Hussein Ibish says moderates are increasingly surrounded by rhetorical extremism on all sides in the Israeli-Palestinian dynamic. (Now)

Jeffrey Goldberg says releasing Pollard will not bring peace to the Middle East. (Bloomberg)

Shane Harris asks why the US and Israel are talking about freeing convicted spy Pollard. (Foreign Policy)

Alan Dershowitz and Irwin Cotler make the argument for why Pres. Obama should release Pollard. (Jerusalem Post)

Nahum Barnea says the US should withdraw from the peace talks. (Ynet)

Uzi Baram says the Turkish experience proves it is possible to change the character of a secular state. (Ha’aretz)

David Schenker worries that as sectarian tensions rise in Lebanon, the prospect of a degraded and discredited army is growing. (Los Angeles Times)

Abdul Rahman Al Rashed says PM Erdogan’s recent victory in local elections cannot save the Muslim Brotherhood. (Al Arabiya)

The New York Times says Erdogan’s pledge to make sure his political enemies “pay a price” is “disturbing and undemocratic.”(New York Times)

Bulent Aras says the rift in the GCC is leading to a new balance of power in the Gulf region. (Daily Star)

Ali Ibrahim says Pres. Mansour has gained the respect of many Egyptians due to his good performance and “eloquent speeches.” (Asharq al-Awsat)

Bakir Oweida says the Arab world is going through an unprecedented phase of chaos. (Al Arabiya)

The National says at its 35 year anniversary it will not be wishing “happy birthday” to Iran’s revolution. (The National)

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