November 22nd

Term Limits
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The American Conservative
by Daniel Larison - November 22, 2007 - 10:22pm

During the week of Oct. 22-26, David Horowitz and an alliance of conservative organizations sponsored a series of lectures and protests at universities around the United States to draw attention to “Islamofascism.” Just in time for this “Islamofascism Awareness Week,” Christopher Hitchens penned a defense of the term.

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Gaza Government Illegitimate, Say Palestinians
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Angus Reid Global Monitor
November 22, 2007 - 10:18pm

Many people in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank decry the government headed by Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Gaza, according to a poll by An-Najah National University. Only 19.3 per cent of respondents in the Palestinian Territories see Haniyeh’s administration as legitimate. Conversely, 45.4 per cent of respondents think the Palestinian government led by prime minister Salam Fayyad—which failed to win the confidence of the Palestinian Legislative Council—is the legitimate administration. Roughly three-in-ten respondents believe both governments are unlawful.

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Bush Steps Up Diplomatic Effort As Annapolis Talks Draw Nearer
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Washington Post
by Robin Wright - November 22, 2007 - 10:15pm

In a bit of last-minute diplomacy, President Bush called the leaders of Israel, Egypt and the Palestinian Authority yesterday to discuss details of the U.S. peace conference set to begin in Annapolis next week, as Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said the goal is to wrap up a peace deal to produce a Palestinian state by the time Bush leaves office.

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Doubts Cloud U.s. Talks Set On Mideast
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Los Angeles Times
by Paul Richter - November 22, 2007 - 10:13pm

The Bush administration announced Tuesday that it would hold a stripped-down international conference next week to begin negotiating the core issues that divide the Israelis and Palestinians, the first formal attempt to revive peace talks in seven years.

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Shhhh: Mideast Invitations Are Secret
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Associated Press
by Matthew Lee - November 22, 2007 - 10:11pm

It's the biggest public event on this season's diplomatic calendar, but the topic is so sensitive that even the invitations are classified. Not that they need to be. The invites to next week's Mideast peace conference in Annapolis, Md., offer few details about the substance of the proceedings aimed at launching the first Israeli-Palestinian peace talks in seven years.

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November 21st

The LA Times looks at continuing uncertainty regarding the Annapolis meeting after the issuing of invitations by the U.S. (2.) Angus Reid Global Monitor reviews the results of the latest survey of Palestinian public opinion by the West Bank An-Najah university, revealing a high degree of support for the Abbas/Fayyad government (4.) The Forward reports on increasing pressure on Israel by the U.S. to effect a serious settlement freeze (7.) An IHT opinion by former U.S. ambassador Kurtzer and USIP fellow Lasensky offer tips to maximize chances of success for the Annapolis meeting (9.) Inter Press Service looks at the opposition to the Annapolis meeting coming from neocon hawks in the U.S. associated with Israel's Likud (10.) The Independent (UK) reports on a Palestinian document prepared for the December Paris donors conference that serves as a blueprint for statehood and outlines projected security, fiscal and political reforms (11.) BBC (UK) analyzes the risks and possibilities for Israeli-Palestinian peace associated with the Annapolis meeting (12.) A Daily Star (Lebanon) opinion by Rami Khouri urges Arab participants at Annapolis to seize the initiative and use the Annapolis meeting to present their issues with clarity and conviction (16.) A Haaretz (Israel) opinion by Akiva Eldar analyzes the obstructionist elements to the Annapolis meeting and to negotiations with the Palestinians (17.)

November 20th

The Annapolis Talks / Blaming The Other Guy
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Aluf Benn - November 20, 2007 - 1:55pm

Israeli-Palestinian disputes over the anticipated Annapolis declaration resemble theological disputes from the Middle Ages: Negotiators argue over whether the road map's first stage should be implemented sequentially or simultaneously, and whether disagreements should be resolved by a trilateral Israeli-Palestinian-American committee or a single American arbitrator.

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Fewer Americans Believe Israel Is Ready To Make Peace
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Shmuel Rosner - November 20, 2007 - 1:54pm

My New York-based colleague Shlomo Shamir (and other reporters in other news outlets), wrote yesterday about the new Anti Defamation League survey dealing with American attitudes toward Israel. "Majority of Americans are still strong supporters of Israel" was the headline. That is certainly true, and the poll is definitely positive. But not all of it is positive, and the numbers merit another look. So here it is:

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Sidetracked By The Roadmap
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Bitterlemons
by Ghassan Khatib - (Opinion) November 20, 2007 - 1:53pm

The sudden reference by Palestinian and Israeli negotiators to the roadmap, drafted years ago in an attempt to rescue the parties from the quicksand of violence and recriminations, was a bit confusing for analysts on both sides. The shift seemed inconsistent with the major political issues that require sorting out through negotiations, particularly the final status issues. In addition, Palestinians and Israelis have already tried the roadmap--and failed to navigate it.

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Documentary On Carter Offers Insights Into A Great Man
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Arab News
by Ray Hanania - November 20, 2007 - 1:52pm

Even before anyone realized that Jimmy Carter’s book “Palestine: Peace not Apartheid” would stir up controversy and a lively but sometimes vicious debate, filmmaker Jonathan Demme decided to follow the former president during his book tour. Demme has produced a powerful documentary, “Jimmy Carter: A Man from Plains,” now showing in limited distribution in major cities around the country.

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