Monday, February 11, 2013

ATFP News [& Commentary] Roundup, February 11, 2013: Pres. Obama's upcoming Middle East trip stirs hopes for peace...

ATFP News Roundup, February 11, 2013
 
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[NOTE: The format of ATFP's news roundup has been revised and streamlined. We hope you will enjoy the new format and earlier delivery. Please click on the links within the text to go to the full article at its original site.]
 
 
NEWS:
Pres. Obama's upcoming Middle East trip stirs hopes for peace at little. (New York Times)
 
Israel is rushing to move ahead with settlement construction before Obama's visit. (AP)
 
A Palestinian official rules out a three-way meeting with Israeli leaders during Obama's trip. (Xinhua)
 
Pres. Abbas thanks the Pope for support the recent UN resolution designating Palestine a non-member observer state. (Reuters/AP)
 
Israeli troops detain an AP photographer. (AP)
 
Palestinian refugees continue to flee Syria for Lebanon. (Daily Beast)
 
A Palestinian delegation visits Syria to try to arrange protection for Palestinian refugees there. (UPI)
 
Israeli forces prevent Palestinians from setting up a protest camp to stop settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank. (Reuters)
 
The Oscar-nominated film "5 Broken Cameras" angers many on both sides of the Israeli-Palestinian divide. (AP)
 
Palestinian unity talks collapse again over the issue of a firm date for new elections, which Hamas reportedly does not want. (Jerusalem Post)
 
The Palestinian election commission begins to update voter registers in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. (AP)
 
Hamas complains Egypt is restricting travel in and out of Gaza and destroying smuggling tunnels by flooding them. (Xinhua/Ha'aretz)
 
Israeli products are filling Gaza's supermarket shelves. (Al Monitor)
 
Witnesses say settlers vandalized a Palestinian community center in occupied Hebron. (Ma'an)
 
Cyprus becomes the latest EU state to upgrade Palestine's diplomatic status. (AFP)
 
An Israeli journalist says the Syrian media is mispresenting the views on Israel of a prominent Syrian opposition leader. (New York Times)
 
Yasser Arafat's widow reportedly calls her marriage a "big mistake." (The Guardian)
 
 
COMMENTARY:
Amira Hass says Israeli authorities subject Palestinian prisoners to sleep deprivation. (Ha'aretz)
 
Daniella Peled criticizes Israel's reaction to a new study of Palestinian and Israeli schoolbooks. (Ha'aretz)
 
Chemi Shalev says over-zealous supporters of Israeli overreacted foolishly to a BDS conference at Brooklyn College. (Ha'aretz)
 
Mira Sucharov says the BDS movement isn't compatible with two states. (Daily Beast/Open Zion)
 
Naftali Rothenberg says Arab parties need to be included in Israel's governing coalitions. (YNet)
 
Armin Rosen looks at the first planned Palestinian city in the occupied West Bank, Rawabi. (The Atlantic)
 
Alon Pinkas says Obama's visit will boost US-Israel relations, but not the peace process. (YNet)
 
The Guardian says Obama needs to offer the parties more than solidarity. (The Guardian)
 
Elias Harfoush says Abbas briefly confusing Pres. Morsi with his predecessor Mubarak was "a Freudian slip" revealing much truth. (Al Hayat)
 
Shlomi Eldar asks why former Deputy FM Ayalon suddenly supports a Palestinian state. (Al Monitor)
 
 
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ATFP Hosts Washington Briefing on Israeli and Palestinian Schoolbooks: Dr. Asali told the capacity-crowd audience that, "We are very proud to host the distinguished team of scholars. The study shows the need to educate for peace. Narratives in conflict perpetuate the conflict, and are perpetuated by it."

 
ATFP is strictly opposed to all acts of violence against civilians no matter the cause and no matter who the victims or perpetrators may be.  The Task Force advocates the development of a Palestinian state that is democratic, pluralistic, non-militarized and neutral in armed conflicts.

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