September 24th

Trilateral talks head on path to nowhere ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Politico by Aaron David Miller - (Opinion) September 24, 2009 - 12:00am In fall 2001, assigned as a State Department adviser to Middle East envoy Tony Zinni, I asked the general why he wanted to ruin a brilliant career by taking on the Israeli-Palestinian issue. Smiling, he replied that he liked hopeless causes. In that case, I said, he’d come to the right place. Tuesday’s three-way meeting in New York among President Barack Obama, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Mahmoud Abbas strongly suggests that after six months of hard labor, another great American — George Mitchell — is being ground up in the maw of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. » Read more

Can Obama make Middle East peace? ATFP World Press Roundup Article from BBC News by Jeremy Bowen - September 24, 2009 - 12:00am President Barack Obama is good at making speeches. His best ones create a powerfully seductive political mood that change is coming, not just at home but in the way the United States does business with the rest of the world. His address to the UN General Assembly showed, once again, not just his rhetorical skill but his understanding of the forces that drive international affairs. But his speeches cannot answer the biggest question about Mr Obama's leadership: can he translate fine words into concrete actions? » Read more

UN announces 400 million PA shortfall; donors pledge 400 million ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency September 24, 2009 - 12:00am Following an announcement that the Palestinian Authority would face a 400 million dollar shortfall at year-end, Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad made an announcement from New York that donors have pledged to make up that 400 million. » Read more

White House: Official ‘misspoke’ on Goldstone report ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA) September 23, 2009 - 12:00am The White House says an official "misspoke" when he said the Obama administration would not allow the Goldstone report recommendations on Israel's conduct in the Gaza war to reach the International Criminal Court. » Read more

Jewish groups, clerics back Obama peace efforts ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA) September 23, 2009 - 12:00am A number of Jewish groups and rabbis joined an open letter backing President Obama's intensive efforts toward a broader Middle East peace. Leaders of J Street, Americans for Peace Now and the Reconstructionist movement as well to former presidents of the Reform movement's Central Conference of American Rabbis signed the letter published Tuesday, saying that "we believe bold American leadership can help Israelis and Palestinians make the difficult decisions necessary to achieve lasting peace and hold the parties to account should they fail to honor their commitments." » Read more

A vision exists for Middle East peace – it's 423 pages long ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Globe and Mail by Patrick Martin - September 24, 2009 - 12:00am U.S. President Barack Obama spoke with Israeli and Palestinian leaders at the United Nations this week, refusing to give up on Middle East peace in spite of the failure of his emissary, George Mitchell, to find enough common ground between the two sides to justify a summit with Mr. Obama. If there ever is to be a two-state solution to the 61-year conflict, the final treaty will look a lot like a 423-page blueprint released last week. » Read more

No meetings between Israelis, Palestinians planned ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press by Amy Teibel - September 23, 2009 - 12:00am Israelis and Palestinians said Wednesday that their envoys would meet with U.S. officials but not with each other, cementing the impression that a U.S.-sponsored meeting between their leaders had fallen flat. Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said there would be no follow-up session with the Israelis because the two sides hadn't bridged the divides that have prevented them from resuming talks. "It's not happening because we agreed to continue dealing with the Americans until we reach the agreement that will enable us to relaunch the negotiations," Erekat said. » Read more

Starting Point for Mideast Talks Remains an Issue, Analysts Say ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Washington Post by Howard Schneider - September 24, 2009 - 12:00am President Obama's personal push to restart Israeli-Palestinian peace talks will face a tough early hurdle in simply getting the two sides to agree on a starting point for negotiations, according to Israeli and Palestinian analysts. » Read more

MKs on Right: Netanyahu 'celebrated prematurely' ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Gil Hoffman - September 24, 2009 - 12:00am US President Barack Obama's statements to the UN General Assembly on Wednesday about "not accepting the legitimacy of West Bank settlements" and "ending the occupation that began in 1967" proved that Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu "prematurely celebrated" what he thought was an American policy shift in Israel's favor, MKs on the Right said Wednesday. » Read more

September 23rd

President Obama enters the Mideast fray Media Mention of Ziad Asali In The Los Angeles Times - September 23, 2009 - 12:00am President Obama, exasperated by the disappointing course of Mideast peace efforts, urged Israelis and Palestinians on Tuesday to reapply themselves, even though eight months of intensive American engagement has failed to return the parties to the negotiating table. Obama met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas at a New York hotel ahead of a United Nations session, stepping personally into the process and offering an unusually blunt message. » Read more