Netanyahu demands Israeli presence in West Bank ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press January 21, 2010 - 1:00am Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Wednesday that Israel must have a presence in the West Bank even after a peace agreement is achieved, the first time he has spelled out such a demand. He said the experience of rocket attacks from the Lebanese and Gaza borders means Israel must be able to prevent such weapons from being brought into a Palestinian entity in the West Bank. "We cannot afford to have that across from the center of our country," he told foreign reporters Wednesday in Jerusalem. » Read more

The Arabs and the American Guarantees ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Dar Al-Hayat by Abdullah Iskandar - (Opinion) January 20, 2010 - 1:00am All what the Palestinian cause, its tragedies and deadlocks needed was the virtual battle between Qatar and Egypt, with what each one of them represents in Arab politics, a battle over what the Arabs ask President Barack Obama's administration for, and who was entrusted with conveying these demands. While this virtual battle comes in the framework of role competition and media attention, it reveals at the same time the Arab predicament before the Arab diplomatic movement. In every Arab capital, the US presidential envoy George Mitchell will hear a different talk. » Read more

Who desecrated Arab graves? ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Hanan Greenberg - January 21, 2010 - 1:00am The Palestinians claim that Jewish worshipers escorted by IDF troops vandalized graves, sprayed graffiti and shattered tombstones at the West Bank village of Awarta Tuesday. The Jewish groups that held the pilgrimage denied the allegations, while IDF officials said they were shocked by the possibility that soldiers escorting the worshipers might be behind the controversial acts. Others pointed the finger at the Palestinians and human rights organization B'Tselem that filed the complaint, claim the acts were an attempt to create a "provocation." » Read more

Who desecrated Arab graves? ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Hanan Greenberg - January 21, 2010 - 1:00am The Palestinians claim that Jewish worshipers escorted by IDF troops vandalized graves, sprayed graffiti and shattered tombstones at the West Bank village of Awarta Tuesday. The Jewish groups that held the pilgrimage denied the allegations, while IDF officials said they were shocked by the possibility that soldiers escorting the worshipers might be behind the controversial acts. Others pointed the finger at the Palestinians and human rights organization B'Tselem that filed the complaint, claim the acts were an attempt to create a "provocation." » Read more

Israel needs to look itself in the mirror ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Gulf News by George S. Hishmeh - (Opinion) January 21, 2010 - 1:00am The row that took place recently between Israel and Turkey when the Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon undiplomatically "rebuked" the Turkish ambassador to Israel during a humiliating encounter over a Turkish television programme critical of Israel reminds me of the saying, "The [black Israeli] pot calls the [shiny Turkish] kettle black." The Turkish ambassador, Ahmet Oguz Celikkol, was led to a low-level seat in the minister's office while the Israeli deputy foreign minister and a colleague sat on higher chairs. » Read more

Barak legitimizes the evils of Israeli occupation ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Yossi Sarid - (Opinion) January 21, 2010 - 1:00am The settlers and their allies should be thanking their God for their good fortune. Ehud Barak, of all people, was appointed defense minister and is doing their dirty work. Anyone else - Benjamin Netanyahu, for example, or even Avigdor Lieberman wouldn't have been able to pull it off. They wouldn't have dared. » Read more

Peres to Abbas: Resume talks or face new intifada ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Avi Issacharoff, Barak Ravid - January 21, 2010 - 1:00am President Shimon Peres recently warned Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas that continuing the deadlock in negotiations with Israel could lead to a third intifada and that in delaying, Abbas was "playing with fire." On Wednesday, U.S. special envoy George Mitchell came to the region in another attempt to jump-start talks between Israel and the Palestinians. At a meeting at the President's Residence on Sunday, Peres told Norwegian Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Store about his discussions with Abbas. » Read more

Erekat: Netanyahu is sabotaging two-state solution ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Jack Khoury - January 21, 2010 - 1:00am Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is working to end the possibility of a two-state solution by insisting on a continued Israeli presence along a future Palestinian state's borders, chief Palestinian Authority negotiator Saeb Erekat told Israel Radio on Thursday. Erekat was responding to Netanyahu's Wednesday statement, according to which Israel would demand a continued military presence along the future Palestinian state's border with Jordan. » Read more

Mitchell in Israel Thursday, Palestine Friday ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency January 21, 2010 - 1:00am Bethlehem – Ma’an – Middle East Envoy for the United States George Mitchell announced his arrival in the region Thursday, where he will meet with Israeli officials and resume efforts to kickstart peace talks between Israel and Palestinians. Mitchell will meet with President Mahmoud Abbas on Friday, alongside members of the Palestinian leadership. In Israel Mitchell will meet the country's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Shemon Peres, Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, Defense Minister Ehud Barak, and leader of the opposition Tzipi Livni. » Read more

Israel removes American employed by Palestinian news agency ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Washington Post by Howard Schneider, Samuel Sockol - January 21, 2010 - 1:00am JERUSALEM -- The American editor of a Palestinian news agency was removed from Israel on Wednesday after being questioned by authorities about his "anti-Israeli" views. The case highlights what some nonprofit organizations say is a tightened Israeli policy toward foreign nationals who live or work in the occupied West Bank. It comes amid an intensifying feud over foreign government funding for organizations seen to promote Palestinian interests even as Israeli politicians and nongovernmental organizations try to curb the flow of money from outside. » Read more