October 8th

Israel, U.S. finalize F-35 stealth fighter purchase ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Shlomo Shamir - October 7, 2010 - 12:00am The purchase of U.S.-made F-35 stealth fighters ushers in a new era in Israel's ability to face security challenges, both near and far, a top Israeli security official said at a ceremony Thursday which finalized Israel's purchase of its first batch of advanced fighter jets. Under the contract signed in New York on Thursday by Ehud Shani, director general of the Israeli Ministry of Defense, Israel will get 20 of the warplanes for nearly $3 billion and will receive the jets in 2016. It has an option for 75 more. » Read more

Abbas to Mitchell: I will resign if settlement construction continues ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Akiva Eldar - October 8, 2010 - 12:00am Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas informed U.S. envoy George Mitchell last week that the renewal of settlement construction will not only bring about the collapse of peace talks but it will also induce his resignation from the post of Palestinian Authority president. According to Palestinian sources close to the PA leadership, Abbas told Mitchell of his plans during their last meeting together. » Read more

Palestinians open to US proposal on settlements ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Statesman by Josef Federman - October 7, 2010 - 12:00am The Palestinians said Thursday they have accepted a U.S. proposal calling on Israel to extend a West Bank settlement slowdown for two months, the latest indication that a deal is emerging to keep peace talks from collapsing. Israel has so far declined to extend the slowdown, despite American pressure and pledges. Negotiator Nabil Shaath said the period would be used to try to hammer out an agreement on a border between Israel and a future Palestinian state and another extension would be required if the sides failed to reach agreement. » Read more

No easing of Palestinian demand seen at Arab League ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters by Douglas Hamilton - October 7, 2010 - 12:00am Arab League foreign ministers meet in Libya on Friday to hear Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's case for suspending peace talks with Israel until it extends a moratorium on settlement building in the West Bank. Launched in Washington just five weeks ago, the talks veered into a cul-de-sac on Sept. 26, when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Nentayhu refused to extend a halt to construction of Jewish settlements, which he had said would last 10 months. » Read more

Israel kills two Hamas militants in W.Bank ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters by Yosri Al-Jamal - October 8, 2010 - 12:00am Israeli troops shot dead two Hamas commanders in the West Bank on Friday, in a raid against militants Israel blamed for the killing of four Jewish settlers a month ago. Security forces killed the two militants in an early morning raid in Hebron, a city in the occupied West Bank which has long been a focal point of Israeli-Palestinian confrontation. Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak said the operation was "a quick response to the murder of the four Israelis". » Read more

Israel Signals Settlement Compromise to Save Talks ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Bloomberg by Gwen Ackerman - October 8, 2010 - 12:00am Israel signaled that a compromise may be reached in a dispute over settlement construction in the West Bank that threatens to derail U.S.-brokered peace talks with the Palestinians. Incentives offered by the Obama administration to Israel may allow Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to push through his Cabinet a limited renewal of the 10-month freeze on West Bank settlement construction that expired last month, Israel’s ambassador to the U.S. said. » Read more

Source: Abbas hints at resigning if talks fail ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency October 8, 2010 - 12:00am President Mahmoud may submit his resignation after meeting with Arab leaders for an emergency Arab League session in Sirtre, Libya, a source told Ma'an on Friday. The source said Abbas hinted at resigning from his post if peace talks with Israel failed during a meeting of the Palestinian National Council of Amman, which he attended before heading to Libya for the session. » Read more

Hamas tells PA to 'unleash West Bank resistance' ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency October 8, 2010 - 12:00am Hamas has called on the Palestinian Authority to "unleash the resistance in the West Bank" by releasing political prisoners from jail and ending security coordination with Israel, a spokesman said. Sami Abu Zuhri said "Israel's continued offenses and invasions in Hebron come within the context of escalating Israeli crimes and attacks," following the killing of two Al-Qassam Brigades leaders on Friday, a statement read. "This attack comes with talks that the occupation is using as a cover to continue these crimes," the spokesman said. » Read more

Al-Qassam vows revenge over Hebron killings ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency October 8, 2010 - 12:00am Hamas' military wing the Al-Qassam Brigades vowed Friday that it would respond to the killing of two senior commanders during an Israeli raid in Hebron. Al-Qassam Brigades spokesman Abu Ubaidah said the militia would "reply in a suitable way to such a crime," to the killing of Nashat Al-Karmi, a senior military commander and Maamoun Al-Natsha, a local Hebron commander. The killings, the spokesman said, would not "break the resistance and the fighters ... resistance fighters are free to reply at any time at any place." » Read more

Israel loyalty oath bill stirs Arab-Israeli unease ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Christian Science Monitor by Joshua Mitnick - October 7, 2010 - 12:00am Israel's cabinet next week will consider a bill that would require non-Jewish candidates for Israeli citizenship to pledge allegiance to the country as a Jewish state. The bill, backed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, calls for an amendment to Israel's citizenship law to include "a Jewish and democratic state" in a mandatory oath of loyalty. » Read more