October 23rd

George W. Bush's Flawed Peace Plan ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Daily Star by Shlomo Ben-ami - (Opinion) October 23, 2007 - 2:29pm That a summit in Damascus of the Middle East's "axis of evil" - Iran, Hizbullah, Syria and Hamas - was convened immediately following President George W. Bush's call for a conference of "moderates" to promote an Israeli-Palestinian peace demonstrated once again how intertwined the region's problems are. The Damascus meeting reflected Iran's view of Israeli-Arab peace as a major strategic threat, because it would condemn Iran to isolation in a hostile Arab environment free of its conflict with Israel. » Read more

Hamas Chief Says Outside Forces Block Reconciliation ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Agence France Presse (AFP) October 23, 2007 - 11:26am Exiled Hamas supremo Khaled Meshaal on Wednesday accused outside forces of trying to block reconciliation between his Islamist movement and Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas's secular Fatah party. He made his comments during a visit to Yemen, where he is due to hold talks with President Ali Abdallah Saleh on the situation in the Palestinian territories following Hamas's bloody takeover of the Gaza Strip in June. » Read more

Getting Hamas Strategy Right ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Israel Policy Forum by David Dreilinger - (Opinion) October 23, 2007 - 11:24am The contours of the ambitious new Bush administration strategy for dealing with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict are beginning to take shape. But not everyone is optimistic about the chances for success. According to supporters of the Bush approach, things are right on schedule. Bilateral consultations between Israelis and Palestinians – like the meeting in Jericho between Abbas and Olmert this past Monday – will start bearing fruit in the coming months, as both parties move past confidence-building steps and start to talk about the outlines of a Palestinian state. » Read more

Inside Gaza: Redemption Games ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Newsweek by Kevin Peraino - (Special Report) October 23, 2007 - 11:23am At the Game Zone video arcade in Gaza City, the most popular new attraction, according to its owner, Hamdi Abu Sido, is the "redemption machine." Winning involves using a joystick to successfully direct a mechanical puppet on a surf board—the "Shark Hunter"—to wave-riding glory. If you win, the machine spits out a string of white tickets printed with the word WONDERFUL that can be redeemed at the counter for prizes. » Read more

Israel: Missile Shield Before West Bank Pullout ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Associated Press October 23, 2007 - 11:05am Defense Minister Ehud Barak says Israel must have a missile defense system in place to protect it from Palestinian rocket fire before it could carry out a large-scale pullback in the West Bank, an official said Wednesday. Military experts said it would take between two and a half and seven years to develop a system that would protect Israel from the type of crude rockets that Palestinian militants use. » Read more

Push For Mideast Peace Plan Gains Momentum Ahead Of Upcoming Summit ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jewish Daily Forward by Nathan Guttman - October 23, 2007 - 11:04am Israeli officials are giving the first signs that they are preparing for negotiations on a final-status peace agreement with the Palestinians. Both Israelis and Palestinians are readying for an international meeting set to discuss the Middle East conflict in November, but until now the Israelis have been wary of looking at this meeting as an entry point to final-status peace talks. » Read more

Restrictions On Palestinians Decried ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Washington Post by Samuel Sockol - (Special Report) October 23, 2007 - 11:02am An Israeli human rights group charged Tuesday that Israel has used concrete barricades, fences, checkpoints and other measures to impose restrictions on Palestinian movement in the West Bank that are "unprecedented in scope and duration." » Read more

Don't Miss This Opportunity ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz (Editorial) October 23, 2007 - 11:01am After seven bad years - years of terror, a diplomatic freeze, Hamas' victory in the Palestinian parliamentary elections and its takeover of Gaza - empty words about a "diplomatic horizon" and barren meetings between representatives of the parties are giving way to genuine diplomatic processes and practical plans for solving the conflict. » Read more

The Hebron Tactic ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Amira Hass - (Opinion) October 23, 2007 - 11:00am For about 25 minutes, they behaved liked lords of the land: One man, followed later by a young guy, descended from Mitzpeh Yair, one of the unauthorized outposts in the southern Mt. Hebron area, and prevented a United Nations jeep from traveling. UN directives prohibit leaving the vehicle in such cases, in order to avoid an escalation of friction. » Read more

A Necessary Conference - With Impediments In Tow ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Eli Podeh - (Opinion) October 23, 2007 - 10:59am American President George Bush's call for an international conference in the autumn has, on the face of it, created a diplomatic horizon. The overt diplomatic arena, and apparently also the covert one, is teeming with activity while the American patron is trying to arrange a gathering that will be suited to all its participants. This conference is likely to be the finale of the Bush era, and therefore, from the American point of view, it must succeed. » Read more