April 28th

Syria And Israel: Paradox And Danger
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Asharq Alawsat
by Tariq Alhomayed - (Opinion) April 28, 2008 - 6:12pm

We are facing an odd political paradox in the region as Syria and Israel continue to flirt in hope of reaching a peace agreement, the price of which is costly for both parties since both sides want a victory that would exclude it from military confrontation, which seems inevitable. Damascus wants the Golan Heights to be returned to it and to break the Arab and international isolation [that it is experiencing] in order to actualize a victory that it could benefit from both internally and externally especially since the Syrians have placed all their eggs in one basket, that is by allying

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Inclusiveness Most Promising Approach
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Bitterlemons
by Ghassan Khatib - (Opinion) April 28, 2008 - 6:11pm

Jimmy Carter's visit to the region and his meetings with several parties including Hamas officials coincided with serious Egyptian efforts to try to forge a ceasefire between Hamas and Israel. The former US president's meetings with the Syrian leadership and Hamas were controversial in the United States, however, and he was brutally criticized in Israel. Only in Palestine were his efforts welcomed by the full political spectrum.

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Palestinian Plight Is Flip Side Of Israel's Independence Joy
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Associated Press
by Karin Laub - April 28, 2008 - 6:10pm

Mohammed Shaikha was 9 when the carefree rhythm of his village childhood - going to third grade, picking olives, playing hide-and-seek - was abruptly cut short. Uprooted during the 1948 war over Israel's creation, he's now a wrinkled old man. He has spent a lifetime in this cramped refugee camp, and Israel's 60th independence day, to be celebrated with fanfare on May 8, fills him with pain. "For 60 years, Israel has been sitting on my heart. It kicked me out of my home, my nation, and deprived me of many things," he said.

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Israel Firm On No Talks With Hamas
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from United Press International (UPI)
April 28, 2008 - 6:09pm

Israeli government officials reiterated Friday there will be no talks with Hamas leaders despite the group's declaration of a six-month truce. Unidentified sources told Ynetnews the declaration from the Israelis followed four rocket attacks into northern Gaza from the Palestinian territories. Israeli officials said the attacks showed that talks would be futile, the sources said.

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Israeli Fire 'kills Four Children In Gaza'
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters
April 28, 2008 - 6:08pm

Israeli fire hit a house in the Gaza Strip today while a family was eating breakfast, killing six Palestinians, including four children and their mother, residents and medical officials said. The deaths in the northern Gaza town of Beit Hanoun cast another shadow on Egyptian efforts to forge a ceasefire between Israel and militant groups and end violence threatening US-brokered Palestinian statehood talks.

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Hamas Ready To Accept 1967 Borders
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Al Jazeera English
April 28, 2008 - 6:05pm

Hamas has said it is ready to accept a Palestinian state within the 1967 borders but "will not recognise Israel".   Speaking at a news conference on Monday, Khaled Meshaal, the exiled Hamas political leader, reaffirmed Hamas's stance towards Israel and clarified his comments as relayed earlier by Jimmy Carter, the former US president.

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Rosner's Guest: Ziad Asali
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Shmuel Rosner - (Interview) April 28, 2008 - 6:03pm

Ziad J. Asali, M.D., is the president and founder of the American Task Force on Palestine, a non-profit, non-partisan organization based in Washington, D.C. Asali is a long-time activist on Middle East issues. He has been a member of the Chairman's Council of American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) since 1982, and has served as ADC?s president from 2001-2003. He served as president of the Arab-American University Graduates (AAUG) from 1993-1995, and was Chairman of the American Committee on Jerusalem (ACJ), which he co-founded, from 1995-2003.

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April 27th

ATFP President Dr. Ziad Asali begins a week long guest slot on Shmuel Rosner’s blog (1). You can submit questions regarding the Israeli Palestinian Peace Process by email at rosnersdomain@haaretz.co.il. Hamas places conditions on accepting the 1967 borders (2) as Israel continues to decline the conversation (4). Tariq Alhomayed discuses the global political context of the Israeli-Syrian negotiations (6). Israeli settlers arrive in Ras al-Amud (9) and MK Uri Ariel asks the Israeli government to encourage Israeli Arabs to “willingly emigrate” from the country(10).

April 25th

Four Sides, One Shelf
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Akiva Eldar - (Opinion) April 25, 2008 - 6:20pm

Before Prime Minister Ehud Olmert signs away the entire Golan Heights, he would do well to think about Jerusalem. After Israel gives Mount Hermon to the Syrians, how will it convince the Palestinians to let Har Homa remain in Israeli hands? How will the Palestinians - the weakest of all Arab sides - be able to concede the most valuable of assets to Israel?

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Yes, It Is Apartheid
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Yossi Sarid - (Opinion) April 25, 2008 - 6:18pm

The anchorwoman was clearly shocked: I don't have time now to respond to what you have said, she told the former U.S. president, allowing Jimmy Carter to make a narrow escape from her clutches. Then she added that she did not want to imagine what would happen to him if he bumped into her colleague from the security affairs desk in Channel 2's dark alley. And the pundit sitting there, sunk in deep thought as always, nodded his heavy head, confirming: He's lucky, the bastard, that we didn't gang up on him and cut him to shreds.

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