May 13th

Obama to push Israelis, Palestinians on peace
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters
May 12, 2009 - 12:00am

U.S. President Barack Obama will urge Palestinian, Israeli and Egyptian leaders to take the steps necessary to achieve peace in the Middle East when they visit Washington this month, the White House said on Tuesday. The White House said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would visit on May 18, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak on May 26 and President Mahmoud Abbas on May 28.

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In Bethlehem, Pope Urges Lifting of Gaza Embargo
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times
by Alan Cowell, Rachel Donadio - May 13, 2009 - 12:00am

Pope Benedict XVI traveled Wednesday to this town that Christians revere as the birthplace of Jesus, telling Palestinians that after decades of suffering, they had a right to a sovereign homeland “in the land of your forefathers, secure and at peace with its neighbors, within internationally recognized borders.” Confronting the region’s political tripwires, he evoked “the loss, the hardship and the suffering” of Palestinians in war-torn Gaza, saying he prayed for the lifting of the economic embargo that Israel has imposed there since the militant group Hamas took control in 2007.

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May 12th

Israeli police close a Palestinian media center that had been set up in East Jerusalem for the Pope's visit (1). In The Nation, Robert Dreyfuss reports on a recent address given by U.S. security coordinator for Israel and the Palestinian Authority, Lt. Gen. Keith Dayton (4). The Pope's visit continues, as he attempts to maneuver through the complicated politics of the Middle East (2) (5) (10) (13) (15). The UN Security Council calls for "urgent efforts" to establish a Palestinian state (6). Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu meets with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak (7). An op-ed in the Daily Star discusses the potential of convening Fatah's General Congress (12).

Peres to pope: We may achieve peace this year
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews
by Ronen Medzini - May 11, 2009 - 12:00am

"This year, the year of your visit here, may reveal an opportunity for us and our neighbors to attain peace," President Shimon Peres said as he welcomed Pope Benedict XVI at his official residence in Jerusalem Monday afternoon. "While many political clouds still darken the horizon, and the voices of incitement obscure the sound of peace, and much violence converged on the crossroads of our lives, most peoples in this region yearn for peace," the president said.

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Will Netanyahu lead or be dragged in Washington?
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Gidi Grinstein - (Opinion) May 12, 2009 - 12:00am

On October 23, 1998, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu signed the Wye River Memorandum, thus bringing about the end of his first government. He did this with his own mouth: After being perceived as undermining the Oslo Accords, and after declared that any withdrawal from more than nine percent of the West Bank would harm Israel's security, he ratified the acccords and sought a 13-percent withdrawal. His term was rife with conflicts with the United States president, and he made both the right and left heartily sick of him. A decade later, Netanyahu is at a similar juncture.

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Pope walks out after Muslim cleric accuses Israel of 'slaughter'
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
May 12, 2009 - 12:00am

The head of the Palestinian Sharia court, Sheikh Taysir al-Tamimi, fiercely denounced Israeli policy in the presence of Pope Benedict on Monday and appealed to the pope to help end what he called the "crimes of the Jewish state." Speaking at an interfaith conference held at the Notre Dame Church in East Jerusalem, al-Tamimi accused Israel of slaughtering women, children and senior citizens. The speech was delivered in Arabic, without simultaneous translation, but after the pope was informed of the political nature of al-Tamimi's speech, he left the conference.

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Fatah's congress could breathe new life into the movement
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Daily Star
by Hossam Ezzedine - (Opinion) May 12, 2009 - 12:00am

Fatah leaders and outside observers believe that holding the movement's sixth General Congress could breathe new life into the party by electing new, young leaders and adopting a political platform better suited to the current Palestinian situation. This in turn would strengthen its stance in confronting Hamas, which has dealt two painful blows to Fatah: winning legislative elections (74 seats versus Fatah's 45) in 2006 and taking control of Gaza after fierce fighting in 2007.

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Contest to win Obama’s ear
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The National
by Matt Bradley - May 12, 2009 - 12:00am

On his first trip to Egypt since his re-election as Israel’s prime minister in March, Benjamin Netanyahu said his new, far right government was committed to peace between Israel and the Palestinian people. But in the press conference that followed yesterday’s summit between Mr Netanyahu and Hosni Mubarak, the president of Egypt, neither mentioned what many observers here see as the central conflict in yesterday’s meeting: which Middle Eastern leader will win the ear of new US president Barack Obama.

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Pope talks of justice in Jerusalem
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The National
by Omar Karmi - May 12, 2009 - 12:00am

Pope Benedict XVI arrived in Jerusalem yesterday for the start of a five-day tour of Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories. He was officially received with a lavish reception at the residence of Shimon Peres, the Israeli president, where a children’s choir sang in English, Hebrew and Arabic. In front of 300 invited diplomats, Jewish, Christian and Muslim religious dignitaries and senior Israeli officials, the pontiff urged “peace and security through justice for everyone”.

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Obama Speech and Mubarak Visit Signal Improvement in US-Egypt Relations
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Dar Al-Hayat
by Joyce Karam - (Opinion) May 12, 2009 - 12:00am

President Barack Obama's speech to the Muslim world from Egypt on June 4, and the upcoming visit of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak to Washington signal a desire from both leaders to strengthen relations and increase cooperation on regional issues.

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