Interview: Palestinians prepare to discus with AL on peace standstill ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua by Omer al-Othmani, Osama Radi - November 3, 2010 - 12:00am A senior Palestinian official said Tuesday that the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) planed to discuss with the Arab League the stalled peace process. Nabil Shaath, a Palestinian negotiator and a member of the Fatah party's central committee told Xinhua in an interview that the worst option of this plan is to resolve the PNA and the resignation of PNA President Mahmoud Abbas. » Read more

Does Israel want peace? ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Yonatan Preminger - (Opinion) November 3, 2010 - 12:00am hose Palestinians are a joke. Israel makes concessions, expends every effort in confidence-building measures, and what do they do? Nothing. In 2000, we withdrew from Lebanon. In 2005 we left Gaza, pulling out the settlers completely. In 2009 we agreed to a building freeze in the West Bank. For 10 months Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu risked his coalition to enable Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to sit with us at the negotiating table. » Read more

US: 'Election results will not affect Mideast policy' ATFP World Press Roundup Article from (Opinion) November 3, 2010 - 12:00am Regardless of who wins the US legislative elections, American-led peace efforts in the Middle East will continue, US State Department spokesperson Philip Crowley said Tuesday, as Democrats prepared to face Republican challengers, reported AFP. "Democratic and Republican administrations supported by Congress under Democratic or Republican leadership have all supported our pursuit for comprehensive Middle East peace," Crowley said. "So this is a significant national interest and I would not expect any electoral results to have an impact on that." » Read more

MI chief: Next conflict will be bigger, broader, deadlier ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Rebecca Anna Stoil - (Opinion) November 3, 2010 - 12:00am Outgoing head of Military Intelligence Maj.-Gen. Amos Yadlin may have initially waxed sentimental on Tuesday during his final appearance before the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, but the MI head later gave a stark warning regarding Iran’s nuclear program, and painted a grim portrait of what Israel’s next war could look like. » Read more

Lieberman: The man dragging Israel to the right ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Independent by Donald MacIntyre - (Opinion) November 3, 2010 - 12:00am Foreign Secretary Avigdor Lieberman greets William Hague today in a more powerful position than ever William Hague is entitled to a little more than the usual trepidation that afflicts every minister making a first visit as Foreign Secretary to the political minefield that is Israel and the occupied territories. For today, he comes face-to-face with his Israeli counterpart, Avigdor Lieberman, one of the most controversial politicians in the democratic world who also royally humiliated the last two European foreign ministers to pay him a visit. » Read more

Jewish-Arab relations in Israel hit boiling point ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Statesman by Diaa Hadid - November 2, 2010 - 12:00am Relations between Israel's Jewish majority and its Arab minority have never been warm, but they appear to have hit a new low that has activists on both sides worried the troubled relationship is beyond repair. In the past month alone, Israeli lawmakers have introduced a series of bills that aim to marginalize Arabs. Rabbis in a northern town have urged followers not to rent homes to Arabs. Extremist Jews marched through this town and set off a violent riot. And a prominent Arab activist has admitted in a plea bargain to spying for the Lebanese guerrilla group Hezbollah. » Read more

Hague breaks protocol to meet Palestinian activists ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Independent by Donald MacIntyre - (Opinion) November 3, 2010 - 12:00am William Hague, the British Foreign Secretary, is to take the unusual step today of meeting Palestinian activists involved in regular unarmed protests and demonstrations against the Israeli occupation of the West Bank. » Read more

Palestinian PM stakes claim to east Jerusalem ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Statesman by Mohammed Daraghmeh - November 2, 2010 - 12:00am Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad on Tuesday staked a claim to Israeli-controlled east Jerusalem, announcing that his government quietly helped fund the renovation of 14 schools in what the Palestinians hope will be their capital. However, Fayyad stopped short of a full-fledged confrontation with Israel. He heeded an Israeli warning not to set foot in Jerusalem for the announcement and instead chose a West Bank school on the edge of the city as a venue. » Read more

PLO official: Dissolving PA an option ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency November 2, 2010 - 12:00am PLO negotiator Nabil Sha'ath said Tuesday that dissolving the Palestinian Authority would be considered as a last resort if efforts to end Israel's occupation failed. The Fatah official told Ma'an radio that if the PA was unable to meet its responsibilities, it would be shameful to retain authority. "Its decisions are shot down by the occupation, as the people of the West Bank can’t visit Gaza and Gazans can’t live in the West Bank. It is not permitted for anyone to build a new Palestinian village or city, which is unacceptable." » Read more

Gaza medics: Israeli forces shoot mentally disabled man ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency November 3, 2010 - 12:00am A mentally disabled man was shot Tuesday by Israeli forces east of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, medics said. Gaza medical services spokesman Adham Abu Silmiyya said the 40-year-old man was transferred to hospital. An Israeli military spokesman said soldiers saw a Palestinian approaching the security fence in the area, and shot at his lower body after he failed to respond to warning shots. The army considers the area close to the border to be a combat zone, he added. » Read more