November 1st

A Mis-step On The Path To Middle East Peace
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Financial Times
by Jon B. Alterman - (Commentary) November 1, 2007 - 2:38pm

Condoleezza Rice, the US secretary of state, is bringing the wrong people together in Annapolis, near Washington, in November. Belatedly deciding that the time has come for the Bush administration to put energy and focus into Arab-Israeli peacemaking, her effort to gather Israeli and Palestinian leaders and whatever other dignitaries will join her is not only too little, too late. It is also the wrong thing to do.

»

Bipartisan Foreign Policy Leaders On Annapolis Conference
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Prospectsforpeace.com
by Daniel Levy - (Blog) November 1, 2007 - 2:29pm

Below is the full text of a letter just released to President George W. Bush and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice as part of an effort supported by the U.S./Middle East Project, Inc., the International Crisis Group, and the New America Foundation/American Strategy Program. The letter is signed by Zbigniew Brzezinski, Lee H. Hamilton, Carla Hills , Nancy Kassebaum-Baker, Thomas R. Pickering, Brent Scowcroft, Theodore C. Sorensen and Paul Volcker. It is an initiative that I am very involved with and keen to encourage.

»

From Generation To Generation
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Inter Press Service (IPS)
by Jim Lobe - (Blog) November 1, 2007 - 2:26pm

Worth noting this past week is an op-ed published on National Review Online by David Feith and Andrew M. Steinberg on why the recent appeal by “some giants of the American political establishment” — namely, “Zbigniew Brzezinski, Brent Scowcroft, Lee Hamilton, and other former high-ranking officials” — for the U.S.

»

Carter’s Efforts To Mend Ties With Community Get Cold Shoulder
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jewish Daily Forward
by Nathan Guttman - November 1, 2007 - 2:21pm

Jimmy Carter’s newest efforts to repair relations with the Jewish community were rebuffed not once but twice last week — and at the very highest levels. Carter’s first outreach effort came in an invitation to Jewish groups to discuss ways that the former president could help make the upcoming Middle East peace conference a success. While Carter invited most of the major Jewish organizations, the event was only attended by representatives of the Reform movement and by several smaller dovish Jewish groups.

»

In Humanity Lies Hope For Peace
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Boston Globe
by Hilla Medalia - (Opinion) November 1, 2007 - 2:19pm

DELEGATES FROM Israel and a consortium of Arab states will meet in the United States this month with the hope of devising an agreement - or at least the DNA of an agreement - that will lead to the formation of a Palestinian state and, theoretically, stability in the Middle East. It is the first such US-led summit in years, and regardless of the outcome, it will be a historic event.

»

Rice Tries To Close Gap In Middle East Talks
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters
by Sue Pleming - November 1, 2007 - 2:17pm

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice meets Israeli and Palestinian leaders this weekend to craft a joint document ahead of a peace conference but she has intentionally set expectations low. U.S. officials expect Rice's third visit in six weeks to the region will result in a document filled with general principles to kick off negotiations on a Palestinian state, but with few hard-core specifics.

»

October 31st

A Boston Globe opinion by Israeli filmmaker Hilla Medalia discovers the humanity of Palestinians by visiting the Deheisheh refugee camp in the occupied West Bank (2.) In his Prospects For Peace blog, New America and Century Foundation senior fellow Daniel Levy is supportive of the bipartisan letter sent to President Bush by eight former senior U.S. officials regarding the upcoming Annapolis meeting (5.) A Financial Times (UK) opinion by CSIS's Jon Alterman outlines why the way that the Annapolis meeting is unfolding will only prove how hard it is to achieve peace and will strengthen rejectionists on both sides (6.) The Independent (UK) reports on the visit by British university vice-chancellors to the occupied Palestinian territories in order to strengthen ties with universities there (8.) A Gulf News (UAE) opinion by George Hishmeh takes issue with the fact that none of the US presidential candidates have said anything meaningful about the Annapolis meeting (10.) In a Jerusalem Post (Israel) interview, Canterbury Archbishop Rowan attributes the emigration of Palestinian Christians from their land to the separation barrier and its effects (12.) A Haaretz (Israel) opinion by Aluf Benn explains how Israel's avoidance of the 'core issues' at the Annapolis meeting will result in the meeting's failure and harms chances of a future agreement (14.)

Summit Of Fear
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Shmuel Rosner - (Opinion) October 31, 2007 - 5:32pm

n September 13, 1993, when the Oslo Accords were signed, president Bill Clinton called the day "a great occasion of history and hope." The ceremony's participants mentioned the word "hope" 21 times in their speeches. Even the normally dry Warren Christopher, then secretary of state, tried to produce some excitement, saying the negotiators' courage gave hope that they would "complete the journey that has been begun today."

»

U.s. Ups Pressure On Israel To Quit W. Bank Outposts
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Aluf Benn, Barak Ravid - October 31, 2007 - 5:30pm

The U.S. has renewed pressure on Israel to evacuate illegal outposts in the West Bank and has asked Jerusalem to broaden efforts to help West Bank Palestinians in the run-up to the Annapolis peace summit next month. During talks in Jerusalem late last week, National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley said the U.S. expects Israel to take measures that will assist Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas.

»

Rice Back In Middle East Carrying Many Hopes And Few Trump Cards
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Kuwait News Agency (kuna)
by Joe Macaron - October 31, 2007 - 5:29pm

US Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice travels on Thursday to the Middle East on her third mission to the region in two months amid dim hopes on resolving Palestinian-Israeli quandary ahead of upcoming Annapolis meeting. "Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas are engaged in an effort to produce a document that could serve the foundation for a serious negotiation for the establishment of a Palestinian state," said a senior State Department official, who spoke to reporters on condition of anonymity.

»


American Task Force on Palestine - 1634 Eye St. NW, Suite 725, Washington DC 20006 - Telephone: 202-262-0017