October 19th

See The Middle Eastern Forest To Save The Iraqi Tree ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Daily Star (Editorial) October 19, 2007 - 8:35pm The US House of Representatives' hearings Monday on the situation in Iraq were a sharp reminder that forests are made of trees, and staring closely at a single tree or a patch of land can only be useful when the full context of the forest is kept in sight. The specifics of the situation in Iraq have been analyzed and diagnosed in the American and global media in more detail than perhaps any other international issue since the end of the Cold War. » Read more

Riyadh Gives Talks With Israel Cautious Welcome ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Guardian by Mark Tran - October 19, 2007 - 8:35pm Saudi Arabia would sit down with Israel at a US-proposed Middle East peace conference, provided it dealt with matters of substance, Saudi officials said today. The Saudi foreign minister, Saud al-Faisal, said Riyadh welcomed the American initiative after he emerged from talks with the US secretary of state, Condoleezza Rice, who was in the region with the secretary of defence, Robert Gates, to bolster support for Mr Bush's effort to kick-start Middle East peace talks. » Read more

Fuit En Avant ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Bitterlemons by Yossi Alpher - October 19, 2007 - 8:34pm Israeli PM Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas are both experienced politicians. At least for the moment, they seem perfectly capable of ignoring the internal political critics of their negotiations. And there is a lot to ignore. » Read more

Us Launches Broad Strategy In Middle East ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Bbc News by Paul Reynolds - October 19, 2007 - 8:34pm The United States has embarked on a diplomatic strategy in the Middle East in which it hopes to rally support for Iraq, arm its allies, isolate Iran and launch a new conference for peace between the Israelis and Palestinians. The strategy is being launched in visits to the region by the US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and the Defence Secretary Robert Gates. » Read more

Ingredients For A True Peace Process ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Akiva Eldar - October 19, 2007 - 8:33pm If Prof. Johann Galtung, the 76-year-old guru of peace advocates worldwide, were to be invited for a conversation with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert or with Defense Minister Ehud Barak, he would tell them that some day, when the United States is sick of Israel's conflict with the Arabs, this country's leaders will look for non-military solutions. » Read more

Under Siege: Drug Shortage 'is Killing Patients In Gaza' ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Independent by Eric Silver - October 19, 2007 - 8:33pm Shifa hospital, the biggest in the Gaza Strip, is running out of drugs. It is performing emergency operations only. The CAT scanner is out of service for want of spare parts. The orthopaedic department no longer has plaster of Paris. Hospital managers appealed yesterday to the international community to lift the siege on Gaza, which imposed after Hamas seized control in June. » Read more

Will Use 'non-military' Means To Attacks: Israel ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Khaleej Times October 19, 2007 - 8:32pm Israel will use non-military means to respond to ongoing rocket attacks against it from the Gaza Strip, Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni said Tuesday, hinting at a plan for sanctions against civilian infrastructure in the salient such as limiting the flow of water and electricity. ‘We have means, means which are not only military,’ she told a joint news conference in Jerusalem with visiting French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner. ‘It is our duty to take these steps.’ » Read more

Where The West Bank Meets Bavaria ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Bbc News by Martin Asser - October 19, 2007 - 8:31pm But that is exactly what visitors to the small Palestinian Christian village of Taybeh were treated to at the weekend. The village is home to a successful family-owned microbrewery, the Taybeh Brewing Company, whose co-owner, Nadim Khoury, and his sister-in-law, Maria Khoury, staged its third annual Oktoberfest, modelled on the great beer-drinking event in Munich. One of the curiosities of the original Bavarian version is that it starts in September - something to do with timing of the brewing process. » Read more

Us Offer To Arm Arab States Wins Lukewarm Response From Leaders ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Times by Sonia Verma Verma - October 19, 2007 - 8:31pm Condoleezza Rice arrives in Israel today hoping to breathe new life into the stalled peace process after offering Arab leaders $20 billion (£10 billion) in arms in return for promises to help to stabilise Iraq and counter the growing influence in the region of Iran. » Read more

Among Arab Nations, An Atmosphere On Edge ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Los Angeles Times by Jeffrey Fleishman - October 19, 2007 - 8:31pm The mood is gruff and the talk shrill across the Middle East as growing strategic differences between Saudi Arabia and Syria underscore Iran's ability to exploit the region's fragile alliances. » Read more