Israel approves construction of 112 apartments in West Bank ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua March 8, 2010 - 1:00am Israel has approved on Monday the construction of 112 apartments in the West Bank, said the Ministry of Defense. This is a "continuation of the construction site" in a West Bank settlement, the ministry told Xinhua via an e-mail. The program, which was approved in former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's term, has already started before last November's order of settlement freeze, according to the ministry. "An exception is generated due to infrastructure problems and safety properties," said the ministry. » Read more

PNA vows to continue support West Bank struggle despite pressure ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua March 8, 2010 - 1:00am The Palestinian National Authority (PNA) on Monday said it supports peaceful struggle against Israel despite Israeli threats of more pressure to stop demonstrations in the West Bank. "The PNA encourages the peaceful resistance and government officials regularly participate in that resistance which would continue as long as the occupation continued," Ghassan Al-Khatib, a PNA spokesman, told Xinhua. » Read more

PNA condemns Jewish settlement expansion, backs popular protests ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua by Saud Abu Ramadan - March 8, 2010 - 1:00am The Palestinian National Authority (PNA) on Monday condemned the Israeli decision to build 112 housing units in the settlement of Bitar Elit south of Jerusalem, and insisted to continue supporting the popular protests against the Israeli measures in the West Bank. Ghassan al-Khatib, spokesman of the Palestinian government of Prime Minister Salam Fayyad, said in a press statement that "this settlement was built on a Palestinian territory occupied by Israel in 1967 war, no matter if it is in the West Bank or near Jerusalem. " » Read more

Palestinians: indirect talks last chance for peace ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters by Jeffrey Heller - March 8, 2010 - 1:00am Israel disclosed on Monday it would build 112 new homes in a Jewish settlement, a plan Palestinians said topped the agenda in talks they held with a U.S. envoy on restarting peace negotiations. Saeb Erekat, the chief Palestinian negotiator, described the planned U.S.-mediated, indirect talks with Israel as a "last attempt" to save the Middle East peace process. Both Israel and the Palestinians have agreed to so-called proximity talks, in a boost to U.S. President Barack Obama's quest to end decades of conflict. Negotiations have been suspended since December 2008. » Read more

Palestinian Authority sees lower deficit in 2010 ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters by Mohammed Assadi - March 8, 2010 - 1:00am RAMALLAH, West Bank, March 8 (Reuters) - The Western-backed Palestinian Authority said on Monday its recurrent budget deficit will fall to 16 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) this year from 22 percent in 2009. Prime Minister Salam Fayyad's government, which relies on international aid to meet its needs, forecasts its 2010 recurrent deficit falling to $1.21 billion from $1.45 billion in 2009. "This would be the lowest deficit as a share of GDP since the year 2000, and a major step forward towards enhancing financial sustainability," the authority said in a statement. » Read more

Fayyad: Peace process only credible if Israel ends violations ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency March 8, 2010 - 1:00am Ramallah – Ma'an – Caretaker Prime Minister Salam Fayyad said Sunday that restoring credibility to the peace process is only attainable if Israel is forced to end violations of international law and resolutions, including the Road Map. Fayyad's remarks were made during a meeting with a Dutch delegation, headed by the speaker of the Dutch parliament, Gerdi Verbeet. » Read more

Mitchell: Israel, PLO accept talks ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency March 8, 2010 - 1:00am Chicago – Ma’an – US envoy George Mitchell formally announced on Monday that both Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization have agreed to begin indirect peace negotiations. "I’m pleased that the Israeli and Palestinian leadership have accepted indirect talks," he in a statement. "We've begun to discuss the structure and scope of these talks and I will return to the region next week to continue our discussions," he also said. "As we've said many times, we hope that these will lead to direct negotiations as soon as possible." » Read more

Vice President Biden on goodwill trip to Israel ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Los Angeles Times by Edmund Sanders - March 8, 2010 - 1:00am Vice President Biden on goodwill trip to Israel Biden is set to arrive Monday, with a goal of mending relations between U.S. and Israel after a tough first year in which Obama's demands in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict alienated many in Israel. By Edmund Sanders March 8, 2010 Reporting from Jerusalem - Vice President Joe Biden was due to arrive Monday in Israel on a mission to mend relations after a rocky first year for new administrations in both countries. » Read more

Palestinian Sees Lesson Translating an Israeli’s Work ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times by Ethan Bronner - March 8, 2010 - 1:00am JERUSALEM — Six years ago, when violence was the order of the day here, Elias Khoury’s 20-year-old son, George, was killed in a Palestinian terrorist attack. The Khourys are Palestinian, so the murder of George — who was out for a jog and shot from behind by gunmen in a car — produced an apology. Sorry, the killers said, we assumed the jogger was a Jew. Mr. Khoury was not only disconsolate, he was appalled. A prominent Jerusalem lawyer who often fights Israeli confiscations of land from Palestinians, he considered violence a toxin corroding his nation’s core. » Read more

Biden Arrives in Israel on Trip to Restart Peace Talks ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times by Ethan Bronner - March 8, 2010 - 1:00am JERUSALEM — Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. arrived in Israel on Monday, culminating a two-month procession of high-ranking Americans seeking to restart Israeli-Palestinian peace talks and persuade Israel to help efforts to impose sanctions on Iran over its nuclear program rather than pursue military action. Mr. Biden is due to stay through Friday, meeting Israeli, Palestinian and Jordanian leaders and giving a speech at Tel Aviv University aimed at expressing American solidarity with Israel. » Read more