October 17th

Id Al-fitr Lost Amid Gaza Strip Closure ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Amira Hass - October 17, 2007 - 10:55am UNRWA, the UN organization that helps Palestinian refugees, was unable to keep its promise to give students at its schools in the Gaza Strip NIS 100 each with which to buy clothes for the Id al-Fitr holiday. Why? Because Israel would not allow it to bring the cash into the strip. » Read more

Editorial: A Mountain To Climb ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Arab News (Editorial) October 17, 2007 - 10:53am The Palestinians have longed for a state for nearly 60 years. Arabs and Muslims have also wanted one. So has most of the world. And now suddenly, so do the Americans. At least that is what they say. US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice says that it is time to establish a Palestinian state and that it is not only in the interest of Palestinians and Israelis, but in US interest as well. » Read more

A Us Peace Rabbit That Is Likely To Fail ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Daily Star by Rami Khouri - (Opinion) October 17, 2007 - 10:52am What does it mean when US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice says it is time to establish a Palestinian state within a year, for the sake of Palestinian, Israeli and US national interests, and that, "We are not going to tire until I have given my last ounce of energy and my last moment in office" to working for a two-state solution? » Read more

Jerusalem Is Ours, Warns Likud ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Independent by Donald Macintyre - October 17, 2007 - 10:48am The right wing Israeli opposition party Likud led by Benjamin Netanyahu yesterday warned the government against compromising on the status of Jerusalem in current talks with Palestinian negotiators. Zalman Shoval, head of the foreign affairs department of Likud, said yesterday that the issue of Jerusalem should "not be on the table in any way" at the planned international conference in Annapolis, Maryland later in the yea—the basis of which he sharply criticized. » Read more

Rice Rules Out Timetable For Middle East Talks ATFP World Press Roundup Article from United Press International (UPI) October 17, 2007 - 10:45am U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said in the West Bank a timetable is not necessary for a permanent accord between Israel and the Palestinians. Rice said after a series of meetings in Ramallah that a timetable is not necessary as a precondition for November peace talks in Annapolis, Md., Ynetnews reported Tuesday. » Read more

Far Right Israelis Get Boost From Senator ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jewish Daily Forward by Marissa Brostoff - October 17, 2007 - 10:43am A Republican presidential candidate is backing a controversial right-wing campaign to oppose the current peace process between Israelis and Palestinians. Kansas Senator Sam Brownback announced on Wednesday that he was supporting “The Israeli Initiative: The Right Road to Peace,” a plan proposed Rabbi Binyamin Elon, chairman of Israel’s right-wing National Union Party. » Read more

Palestinians Launch First Census In A Decade ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters by Rebecca Harrison - October 17, 2007 - 10:39am Palestinians launched their first census in a decade on Wednesday, visiting thousands of homes in the West Bank and Gaza Strip in the hope of boosting their bid for an independent state. About 1,000 officials spread out across towns in Palestinian territories, drawing blue and red numbers on homes and offices ahead of a head count in December. The colorful markings will be used later to help count communities more easily. » Read more

Rice Draws On 'spiritual Passion' In Push For Peace ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Washington Post by Michael Abramowitz, Scott Wilson - (Editorial) October 17, 2007 - 10:37am U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice broke away from her diplomatic meetings here to sit down with the top religious leaders -- Christian, Jewish and Muslim -- of this holy city Monday night. According to people present, she heard about the failure of Israeli authorities to recognize the Greek Orthodox patriarch, a top Muslim cleric's lack of access to Jerusalem's al-Aqsa Mosque and other complaints. » Read more

Egypt Helps Bolster Prospect Of Peace Talks ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times by Steven Lee Myers - October 17, 2007 - 10:36am Egypt expressed unusually strong support on Tuesday for the Bush administration’s efforts to hold an international conference this fall to begin negotiating peace between the Israelis and the Palestinians. Egypt’s leaders, including President Hosni Mubarak, have criticized aspects of the effort, but after meetings here with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit said he believed that the administration was determined to have meaningful talks. » Read more

Hamas Softening Throws Twist In Talks ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Christian Science Monitor by Ilene Prusher - October 17, 2007 - 10:34am Hamas, the Palestinian movement that months ago battled rival Fatah for control of Gaza, is now beginning to wield a more conciliatory weapon: messages of moderation. A spokesman for Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, deposed as Palestinian prime minister after militant Islamists staged a coup in June, said Tuesday that Hamas does not oppose peace talks with Israel. » Read more