August 13th

PA: State-building continues despite occupation
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency
August 13, 2010 - 12:00am

"Despite the occupation, the Palestinian people have made strong progress in building sound institutions within a stable society, on the way to statehood," the Palestinian Authority declared Thursday. The report, spanning May 2009-May 2010, cataloged what the PA called successes for the year, citing the construction of 34 new schools and expansion of 23 - 11 new clinics, 44 new housing projects, 16 new roads, and 370,000 newly planted trees among other achievements.

»

Misleading
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jordan Times
by George S. Hishmeh - August 13, 2010 - 12:00am

Oftentimes, Israelis and their supporters bury their heads in the sand, ignoring all that goes on around them. For example, take the case of a university professor who joyously lauded an “opinion poll” claiming that 71 per cent of Arab respondents have “no interest” in the Palestinian-Israeli “peace process”. Efraim Karsh, who teaches at King’s College, London and is author of “Palestine Betrayed”, cited the poll in a commentary, titled “The Palestinians, Alone” in a leading American newspaper, The New York Times, which in turn was remiss in not checking it.

»

Palestinian, Israeli economy ministers meet
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency
August 13, 2010 - 12:00am

Palestinian Authority Minister of National Economy Hasan Abu Libdeh held a meeting Thursday with his Israeli counterpart, Benjamin Ben Eliezer, the Palestinian ministry said. The meeting, called by the Israeli trade and industry minister, was to discuss the PA's campaign to ban settlement produce in the West Bank. “The request for this meeting only indicates the success of the campaign and its impact on the decline in economic strength of the settlements,” Abu Libdeh said.

»

Why doesn't Abbas want peace talks?
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Washington Post
by Jackson Diehl - August 13, 2010 - 12:00am

Give Mahmoud Abbas credit, at least, for consistency. Eighteen months ago, when the then-new Obama administration tried to jump start Middle East peace negotiations, the Palestinian president balked. He said he would not agree even to meet the newly-elected Israeli Prime Minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, unless Netanyahu made several big concessions in advance -- including recognition of a Palestinian state on the basis of Israel's 1967 borders and a freeze on all Jewish settlement construction in the West Bank.

»

August 12th

The Washington Post profiles the joint ATFP/APN internship program for Israeli and Palestinian students. George Will says PM Netanyahu and Pres. Obama do not understand each other. The CSM says land is a symbol of identity for Israelis and Palestinians. James Carroll looks at the importance of Jerusalem. Palestinians are pressing to bring the Quartet into efforts to revive direct negotiations. Netanyahu rejects the 1967 borders as a basis for negotiations. Arab leaders will meet in Cairo. Lebanon considers extending more rights to Palestinian refugees. Palestinian officials say the US has approved their proposal for framing direct negotiations, but await Israel's response. Israel's military is taking the narrowest possible interpretation of a court ruling opening a major West Bank highway to Palestinian traffic. Palestinian citizens who do not serve in Israel's military are denied university housing. Larry Derfner says the flotilla raid was ill-conceived. Interior Minister Yishai confirms that building after Sept. 26 will be confined to existing settlement blocs. Michael Young says Tony Judt's embrace of impossible bi-nationalism was a symptom of the lack of any real solution. Mshari Al-Zaydi says many have a stake in not resolving the conflict. Abdullah Iskandar says Pres. Abbas faces an impossible choice on direct talks.

Yishai: PM set to build in blocs only
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post
by Gil Hoffman, David Horovitz - August 12, 2010 - 12:00am

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu will resume building only in the settlement blocs Israel will likely keep under an agreement with the Palestinians when the construction freeze in Judea and Samaria ends on September 26, Interior Minister Eli Yishai predicted on Wednesday.

»

IDF bans Israelis from Palestinian villages along West Bank highway
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Chaim Levinson - August 12, 2010 - 12:00am

A new IDF decree bans Israelis from entering Palestinian villages along Route 443, despite these villages being located in Area C, which is under complete Israeli control. The ban was announced yesterday by GOC Central Command Avi Mizrahi. It joins other measures taken by the Central Command as the West Bank road is prepared to be opened to Palestinian traffic, in accordance with a Supreme Court verdict rendered earlier this year.

»

Netanyahu rejects peace talks based on 1967 borders
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Avi Issacharoff - August 12, 2010 - 12:00am

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu yesterday rejected a Palestinian demand that direct negotiations be based on a statement by the Quartet confirming its position that the future Palestinian state will be based on the 1967 borders. Meeting in Jerusalem with U.S. envoy George Mitchell, Netanyahu repeated his demand for the renewal of direct talks without preconditions. Mitchell briefed Netanyahu on his meeting on Tuesday with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and gave the prime minister the Palestinian proposal.

»

Netanyahu rejects '67 borders as basis for talks
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency
August 12, 2010 - 12:00am

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated his request that direct peace talks with Palestinians go ahead without preconditions, during a meeting with US envoy to the peace process George Mitchell on Wednesday. President Mahmoud Abbas, following his Tuesday meeting with Mitchell, told the press that he emphasized the need to base talks on a March statement by the Middle East Quartet, which outlined its position that a future Palestinian state should be based on the 1967 borders.

»

No place in university dorms for Arabs who didn't serve in IDF
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Jack Khoury - August 12, 2010 - 12:00am

Dozens of Arab students at Tel Aviv University were denied spots in college dormitories for the coming academic year, due to preference given to students with military records, students said a secretary in the dean's office told them. There are fewer beds allocated for Israeli citizens this year because more overseas students, mainly from the United States, have registered for classes, the students said.

»


American Task Force on Palestine - 1634 Eye St. NW, Suite 725, Washington DC 20006 - Telephone: 202-262-0017