May 3rd

Once more into the Mideast breach ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Financial Times May 3, 2010 - 12:00am Here we go again. Welcome back to the Middle East peace process, a tortured charade that long ago turned into pure process and thereby set a sure course for the rocks. With indirect talks between the Israelis and Palestinians now likely to resume, is there any reason to think much has changed? Israel is ruled by its most right-wing government, under Benjamin Netanyahu, and the Palestinians, weak and divided, are unwilling to enter negotiations unless Israel stops building settlements on their land, which Mr Netanyahu refuses to do. But something does look to have changed – in the US. » Read more

Details of Gaza blockade revealed in court case ATFP World Press Roundup Article from BBC News by Tim Franks - May 3, 2010 - 12:00am BBC News has seen documents, submitted to an Israeli Court, which give more detail than ever before about how and why Israel maintains its Gaza blockade. In one document, Israel describes the import curbs as "a central pillar in the armed conflict with Hamas". It also confirms estimates were made of how many calories Gazans need, but says these were not used for policy-making. Israel says the blockade is to pressure Hamas, which does not recognise Israel and backs attacks on its citizens. » Read more

Abbas: 'Many obstacles' for peace ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post May 3, 2010 - 12:00am Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas said Sunday that he has already demanded sole control over large sections of the West Bank, including those under total Israeli sovereignty. Abbas said that he demand the Jordan Valley, even though Israelis have made clear that they will not agree to preconditions from the Palestinians. » Read more

Ayalon: Palestinian boycott to be discussed in proximity talks ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Zvi Lavi - May 3, 2010 - 12:00am The Knesset's Economic Affairs Committee on Sunday discussed possible responses to a new law passed last week in the Palestinian Authority, which bans Palestinians from selling or buying products produced by Israeli settlements in the West Bank. Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon said that Israel would urge the Palestinians to cancel the boycott at a preliminary stage of the proximity talks. However, he stressed that continuation of the talks would not hinge on the removal of the ban, due to Israel's decision to commence talks without prior conditions. » Read more

Abbas: Mideast proximity peace talks to address final-status issues ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz May 3, 2010 - 12:00am Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on Monday said indirect peace talks scheduled to begin this week with Israel will address final-status issues, including borders, Palestinian refugees and Jerusalem, Army Radio reported. "There is a historic opportunity before Israel, if it withdraws from all Palestinian and Arab lands," said Abbas adding that in exchange, under the Arab peace initiative, Israel would be officially recognized by Arab states. » Read more

A struggle to change public opinion ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Shaul Arieli - May 3, 2010 - 12:00am How serious Benjamin Netanyahu really is about resuming talks with the Palestinians will be reflected in the extent of his effort to reshape Israeli public opinion, where the concept "there is no partner" has been thoroughly assimilated, partly because of the prime minister's own utterances. » Read more

Settlers devise new strategy to scare away Palestinian neighbors ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Amira Hass - May 3, 2010 - 12:00am Some settlers are employing a new strategy to get Palestinians evicted from their land in the northern region of the Jordan Valley, Haaretz has learned. A number of settlers, some of whom are residents of the Maskiot settlement, set up a "protest" tent next to a tent belonging to Bedouin herdsmen near Wad el Maleh, on private Palestinian land. Last Thursday, after the Palestinians complained to the civil administration, both the Israelis and Palestinians there were handed decrees declaring the area a closed military zone, signed by brigade commander Yochai Ben-Yishai. » Read more

Hamas short on cash as Gaza blockade takes toll ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press by Rizek Abdel Jawad - May 3, 2010 - 12:00am GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — Hamas confirmed Sunday it is unable to pay thousands of government workers in full for a second straight month — a new sign that the Islamic militants are caught in what may be the most serious cash crunch in three years of ruling Gaza. Hamas dismisses rumors of a financial crisis, and insists its money woes are temporary. However, it has resorted to an unpopular tax drive to raise money, suggesting that a heavy blockade on the territory, an Egyptian crackdown on smuggling and an increasingly expensive government bureaucracy are taking their toll. » Read more

Netanyahu wants secret talks; PLO demands parameters ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency May 3, 2010 - 12:00am Bethlehem - Ma'an - Israeli and Palestinian negotiators began to rally their negotiations teams Sunday, with US-mediated peace talks set to begin Monday via "discrete channels," Israeli press reported. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told his advisers that he intends to open the talks in person, and according to news reports asked to be briefed on an “eight point” plan set out by the administration of former Israeli Minister Ehud Olmert, particularly around final-status issues. » Read more

Clinton in struggle for Israel's nuke secret ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Washington Times by Eli Lake - May 3, 2010 - 12:00am Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton will try this week at the United Nations to keep the worst-kept secret in the Middle East: Israel's status as a nuclear power. In recent weeks, the U.S. government has held talks with Egypt on a proposal to eliminate nuclear weapons in the Middle East. The U.S. diplomacy on the proposal also has been coordinated closely with Israel, according to a senior White House official. » Read more