September 15th

Rightist gets community service for racist remarks
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews
by Aviad Glickman - September 15, 2009 - 12:00am

The Jerusalem Magistrate's Court on Tuesday sentenced extreme right-wing activist Noam Federman to four months of community service, after convicting him of incitement to racism. Federman was put on trial following remarks he made during a TV show in August 2005: "There are delusional people who say we can live with the Arabs in coexistence. There are delusional people who say I can live together with cancer. What is a good Arab? An Arab who has yet to murder Jews? It's hard to find any of those today."

»

While Ramallah prospers
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Ilana Hammerman - (Opinion) September 15, 2009 - 12:00am

There is new life in the West Bank, according to reports in the press. Freedom of movement, successful commerce, nightlife. Many Israelis certainly feel pride, especially the humanists among them.

»

Fatah to Haaretz: No settlement freeze, no talks
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Avi Issacharoff - September 15, 2009 - 12:00am

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) will meet Tuesday afternoon with the U.S. special envoy to the Middle East, George Mitchell. The two will discuss the prospect of renewing talks between the PA and Israel and the possibility of Abbas and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meeting next week at the United Nations General Assembly in New York. Netanyahu was supposed to have met Mitchell Monday, but postponed the meeting to today to take part in the funeral of Capt. Asaf Ramon, son of Israel's first astronaut, Ilan Ramon.

»

Mitchell, Netanyahu fail to agree on settlement halt
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Jonathan Lis, Barak Ravid - September 15, 2009 - 12:00am

Israel and the United States failed Tuesday to reach a compromise on the contentious issue of West Bank settlement construction. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met for two hours in Jerusalem with U.S. President Barack Obama's special envoy to the Middle East, George Mitchell. The meeting ended with no results. The prime minister's bureau released a statement to the press describing the sit-down as "good." The two men will resume their discussions in Netanyahu's office Thursday morning.

»

PA Cabinet maintains hope for Obama peace efforts
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency
September 15, 2009 - 12:00am

In their Monday meeting the West Bank cabinet ministers expressed positive sentiments around current US efforts to halt settlement construction and limit Israeli incursions into Palestinian areas. In a statement summing up the proceedings of the meetings, ministers expressed their hope around the visit to the region of US Special Middle East envoy George Mitchell this week. The cabinet said the visit indicates the serious of the US administration around re-launching the peace process.

»

Peres met Erekat in Jerusalem over peace talks; PA firm in stance
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency
September 15, 2009 - 12:00am

Israeli President Shimon Peres reportedly met with Chief Negotiator for the PLO Saeb Erekat last week in what Israeli press called an “effort to ease the way toward a tripartite meeting at the UN.”

»

Optimism over Mitchell's Middle East peace talks
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Irish Times
by Michael Jansen - September 15, 2009 - 12:00am

PALESTINIAN CABINET ministers in the West Bank yesterday expressed public optimism about United States envoy George Mitchell’s efforts to start peace talks with Israel, despite yawning differences between the two sides. In separate meetings today with Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu, Mr Mitchell will seek to persuade the two men to meet in New York on the fringes of next week’s UN General Assembly.

»

Mitchell hopes to wring concessions on settlements
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press
by Amy Teibel - September 15, 2009 - 12:00am

Washington's special Mideast envoy launched a last-ditch push Tuesday to wring an Israeli promise to curtail settlement construction and persuade the Palestinians to attend a high-profile U.S. meeting meant as a prelude to peacemaking.

»

Squandering the Moment
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times
(Editorial) September 15, 2009 - 12:00am

Unless something happens soon, Israelis, Palestinians and other Arabs may squander the best chance for Middle East peace in nearly a decade. President Obama is committed to serious negotiations and, for now, there is a lull in regional violence. But all of the region’s major players are refusing to do what is needed to keep their own people safe and move the peace process forward. Mr. Obama has called on the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, to freeze all settlement construction as a way to demonstrate his government’s commitment to trading land for peace.

»

September 14th

A New York Times article examines whether or not Israeli settlers are using the threat of violence as a political strategy. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu says differences remain between Israel and the United States, but US Mideast Envoy George Mitchell expresses cautious optimism and Egyptian President Mubarak backs a settlement freeze. The Washington Post profiles the Israeli West Bank settlement of Ariel. National Jewish leaders support President Obama's push for a settlement freeze. Violent clashes erupt between Israeli settlers and Palestinians. The IMF says West Bank economy remains on course to grow about 7 percent this year.

American Task Force on Palestine - 1634 Eye St. NW, Suite 725, Washington DC 20006 - Telephone: 202-262-0017