September 15th

Mitchell: Settlement freeze must continue
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews
by Atilla Somfalvi - (Analysis) September 14, 2010 - 12:00am


SHARM EL-SHEIKH – US special envoy George Mitchell said Tuesday that the West Bank settlement construction freeze must continue, despite being a sensitive political issue in Israel. Speaking at a press conference in Sharm el-Sheikh, Mitchell said the new round of Israeli-Palestinian negotiations was moving in the right direction, but offered no evidence of progress on the hard issue of Jewish settlements. He clarified that the parties must continue the negotiations, which would remain discreet, adding that the direct talks were crucial for both sides.


September 14th

Hillary Clinton headed to Mideast for talks
Media Mention of ATFP In Politico - September 14, 2010 - 12:00am

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton launches an intense week of Middle East diplomacy in Egypt Tuesday, joining Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas for their next round of face-to-face peace talks. She begins in the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, then plans to move on to Jerusalem on Wednesday and the West Bank and Jordan on Thursday.


Sec. Clinton says a deal on settlements is possible and stresses the importance of negotiations. The Israeli government purchases the @israel twitter identity from a Spanish pornographer. Roger Cohen says most Israelis are uninterested in the peace talks. Residents of a West Bank settlement worry about their future. Israelis are not sure what to expect from their own leadership. The CSM says there is no Israeli consensus on settlements. Palestinians deny there is a crisis in the talks and say they will focus on land, borders and security. A new report says peace is the key to Palestinian economic revival. Israelis complain that a Palestinian “all or nothing” attitude is hampering talks. Israeli authorities in Jerusalem are considering more than 1,000 new settler housing units. A new report says settlers receive 22% more budgetary allocations than other Israelis. Another report says Israeli soldiers are rarely accountable for Palestinian civilian deaths. Nahum Barnea says PM Netanyahu has retreated to a zero-sum mentality. The Israeli military confirms that two Gazans killed in shelling on Sunday were “not terrorists.” Gershon Baskin says a creative deal on settlements is possible. Osama Al Sharif says there is grave danger for the region in not achieving a peace agreement.

Risky business of making peace in the Middle East
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Gulf News
by Osama Al-Sharif<br /> - September 14, 2010 - 12:00am


The risky business of forging peace between Israel and the Palestinians through a negotiated settlement has resumed after almost three years of forced interruption. But few on either side are hopeful. The one-year process of direct negotiations under United States auspices aimed at concluding a final status agreement and the birth of a Palestinian state has its critics, and sceptics, on both sides of the divide and beyond. In fact few believe that this latest round of talks will lead to an historic deal. The chasm is simply too wide.


Encountering Peace: Two rights don’t make a wrong
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post
by Gershon Baskin<br /> - (Opinion) September 14, 2010 - 12:00am


Yes, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu is right – why should Israel continue the settlement freeze; after all, everyone knows Gilo will never be Palestinian. Ramot Eshkol will not be part of the Palestinian capital of al-Kuds, nor will Pisgat Ze’ev? Palestinians should understand that there are certain facts that will not be undone. The Jewish Quarter of the Old City and the Western Wall will remain under Israeli sovereignty in any peace agreement; without this, there can be no peace and certainly the Palestinians should realize this by now.


IDF: 2 Gazans killed at border Sunday were not terrorists
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post
by Yaakov Katz<br /> - September 14, 2010 - 12:00am


Two Palestinians killed on Sunday by IDF fire along the Gaza border were not engaged in terrorist activity but were standing next to a Palestinian who was pointing a loaded RPG at the Israeli military force, an investigation of the incident has revealed. The incident took place Sunday evening when troops deployed along the security fence spotted a man pointing a loaded RPG in their direction. Earlier in the day, the IDF detected a number of people who had also approached the security fence in the area, and soldiers fired several warning shots.


PM, Clinton and Abbas discuss freeze in Sharm e-Sheikh
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post
by Herb Keinon<br /> - September 14, 2010 - 12:00am


US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Tuesday sat down with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in Sharm e-Sheikh, Egypt to tackle the most immediate dispute between the two sides: a soon-to-expire curb on new construction for Israeli settlements in the West Bank. No press conference was held prior to the beginning of the meeting. A determination to make the peace talks work was expressed by Israeli officials accompanying Netanyahu on Tuesday to the second round of direct peace talks with Abbas.


Netanyahu and the freeze
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews
by Nahum Barnea<br /> - (Opinion) September 13, 2010 - 12:00am


You screwed up, Netanyahu can say to Barack Obama following the president’s call over the weekend to extend the settlement construction freeze. The construction was frozen for a limited period of time – 10 months. The American Administration chose to accept this timeframe. It cannot show regret as this period draws to an end and ask for more. It’s not serious or credible.


Report: Palestinian civilians' deaths go unpunished
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews
by Ali Waked<br /> - September 14, 2010 - 12:00am


he Israel Defense Forces policy of refraining from thoroughly investigating the wrongful deaths of Palestinian civilians absolved IDF soldiers from such action even when criminal charges should be brought against them, B'Tselem said. The conclusion is at the core of a new report by the human rights group, released Tuesday, which said that soldiers who kill Palestinian civilians are rarely prosecuted, even when circumstances clearly indicate foul play.


East Jerusalem housing plans cast new shadow over Israel-Palestinian peace talks
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Nir Hasson<br /> - September 14, 2010 - 12:00am


In a move that could strike a blow at already fragile peace talks, Jerusalem city planners will in the coming weeks discuss a scheme to build over a thousand housing units beyond the Green Line, Haaretz learned on Tuesday. At a U.S.-mediated summit in the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, aides to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said talks were being conducted in a "good atmosphere".



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