October 29th

Orthodox Rabbi Breaks Taboo With Talk Of Dividing Jerusalem
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA)
by Tom Tugend - October 29, 2007 - 7:01pm

A prominent Orthodox rabbi has broken a taboo by publicly advocating that his community consider a possible division of Jerusalem to achieve a lasting peace with the Palestinians. Rabbi Yosef Kanefsky of B’nai David Judea wrote in Friday’s Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles that the “worst-case scenario” of returning the Western Wall and the Temple Mount to Arab control would be horrifying and unfathomable to him.

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Israel Can't Cut Power To Gaza - Attorney General
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters
by Adam Entous - October 29, 2007 - 6:59pm

Israel's attorney general told the government on Monday it could not cut electrical power to the Gaza Strip as part of its sanctions against the Hamas controlled territory, although he did approve other measures. Israel began implementing economic sanctions on Sunday in what it said was a response to Palestinian rocket fire on Israeli towns from the Hamas-controlled coastal enclave.

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Rice Looks To History For Peace Effort
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Associated Press
by Matthew Lee - October 29, 2007 - 6:49pm

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is looking to the past for lessons on how to make next month's Mideast peace conference a success. As she prepares to host the international meeting in Annapolis, Md., Rice has delved into the history of U.S. attempts to mediate peace in the region, plunging into the diplomatic annals and seeking out the major players responsible for both successes and failures.

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Israel Ready To Negotiate On Jerusalem, Its "third Rail"?
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from McClatchy News
by Dion Nissenbaum - October 29, 2007 - 6:45pm

The last time Israeli leaders sat down for meaningful peace talks with Palestinian negotiators, then-Jerusalem Mayor Ehud Olmert led a march around the Old City's ancient walls to protest any plans to divide his adopted home. "No concessions on Jerusalem," Olmert said on the eve of the 2000 Camp David summit. "For 33 years, Israel has said there will never be a compromise on Jerusalem. Do you think we were joking?"

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October 28th

The Associated Press reports on meetings that Secretary Rice is having with former U.S. officials associated with past U.S. peacemaking efforts in order to benefit from the historical record on the issue (2.) The Jewish Telegraphic Agency looks at remarks by a leading Orthodox rabbi publicly advocating the 'division' of Jerusalem in order to achieve peace with the Palestinians (4.) Americans For Peace Now present their weekly review of the Israeli press (6.) The Financial Times (UK) examines worldwide reaction to Israel's restriction of fuel supplies to the Gaza Strip (7.) In a BitterLemons (Israel/Palestine) interview, advisor to Palestinian president Abbas on Jerusalem Affairs Adnan Husseini outlines the Palestinian position on Jerusalem and the Old City (10.) Haaretz (Israel) explores the inability of over 600 Gaza students to return to their schools overseas due to Israeli restrictions (11.)

October 26th

Squeezing Gaza / Stop Sign Between Abbas And Gaza
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Amos Harel And Avi Issacharoff - (Opinion) October 26, 2007 - 6:02pm

There is an enormous gap between the reasons Israel is giving for the decision to impose significant sanctions against Hamas rule in the Gaza Strip, and the real intentions behind them. Defense Minister Ehud Barak yesterday authorized a plan for disrupting electricity supply to the Gaza Strip, as well as significantly shrinking fuel shipments. This is supposed to reduce the number of Qassam rocket attacks against Sderot and the other border communities. In practice, defense officials believe that the Palestinian militants will intensify their attacks in response to the sanctions.

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To Speak Again In One Voice
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jordan Times
(Editorial) October 26, 2007 - 5:59pm

A new Amnesty International report has condemned both Fateh and Hamas for human rights abuses during their infighting this year, which peaked when Hamas took over the Gaza Strip in June. Both sides were guilty of harming civilians and of extrajudicial executions and physical torture, the report found, and its authors urged both sides to act to prevent any repetition and punish abusers.

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Rebuilding Trust Remains At The Core
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Arabic Media Internet Network
by Alon Ben-meir - (Opinion) October 26, 2007 - 5:58pm

Since President Bush declared his intention a few months ago to convene a Middle East peace conference, experts on the region and government officials have proposed specific agenda items that should be addressed to insure its success.

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The Damascus Conference Versus The Conference Of The Fall Grandstanding At The Expense Of The Palestinians
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Dar Al Hayat
(Opinion) October 26, 2007 - 5:56pm

The secretary general of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon, presented an important report to the Security Council this week. The report returns to the forefront the issue of disarming Hizbullah as a cornerstone to enabling the Lebanese state to recover full sovereignty over its territory. Ki-moon called for implementing the commitment to dismantle all Lebanese and non-Lebanese militias and disarm the Palestinian militias operating in Lebanon. He asked Syria and Iran to cooperate in this effort and halt all military supplies and support for these militias.

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Prioritizing Palestinian Dignity
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Palestine Chronicle
by Sherri Muzher - (Opinion) October 26, 2007 - 5:54pm

"I am Mr. Nobody," stated Palestinian Mahmoud Jnaid in an October 19th Reuters article.  Jnaid recently doused himself in fuel and tried to set himself on fire before other Palestinian on-lookers overpowered him.     "When I poured the petrol on my body I felt life was the same as death," the 25-year-old said while he sat next to his wife and children.  

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