October 1st

Peace ball firmly in Obama's court ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Gulf News by George S. Hishmeh - (Opinion) October 1, 2010 - 12:00am Although some may blame Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and even Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas for dropping the ball soon after their peace negotiations began three weeks ago, the more likely person who will be blamed should the talks collapse totally will be no other than US President Barack Obama on whom many had banked. » Read more

The second intifada, 10 years on ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Guardian by Seth Freedman - (Opinion) October 1, 2010 - 12:00am This week marks the 10th anniversary of the outbreak of the second intifada, an event that continues to have profound repercussions for millions on both sides of the Israel-Palestine divide. According to statistics released by B'Tselem, the Israeli human rights organisation, 6,371 Palestinians and 1,083 Israelis were killed during hostilities in the last decade, but on top of the list of casualties is the unquantifiable toll taken on the psyches of ordinary citizens throughout the region. » Read more

'Arabs won't forget October 2000 killings' ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Sharon Roffe-ofir - October 1, 2010 - 12:00am Ten years on, Israel's Arabs hold memorial rallies in commemoration of the October 2000 riots. Arab towns throughout the north held memorial ceremonies on Friday for the 13 people killed in the October events. Other locales held quiet protest marches to mark the anniversary. Family members of the victims visited their loved ones' graves. There was a general strike in all Arab towns on Friday. Abdul Menem, from Sakhnin, whose son Walid was killed in the October events, said that even a decade later, the families feel disrespected by the country. » Read more

Dutch watchdog criticizes Israeli tourism website for blurring borders ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz September 30, 2010 - 12:00am The Dutch advertising watchdog has criticized Israel for publishing "misleading" information on its tourism website that blurs the borders between Israel and occupied Arab territories. The Advertising Code Committee says in a nonbinding ruling that material distributed by the Dutch branch of the Israeli National Tourism Board does not "clearly show where the border lies between what is internationally recognized as Israeli territory and 'disputed' areas." » Read more

Arab League may bring settlement freeze debate to UN ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Shlomo Shamir - September 30, 2010 - 12:00am Arab League representatives, set to meet in Cairo on Wednesday to discuss the future of the Israeli-Palestinian peace talks in the wake of the expiration of Israel's freeze on settlement construction in the West Bank, will also consider a proposal to request that an emergency session of the United Nations Security Council be held on the issue, sources at the UN told Haaretz. » Read more

Fire Lieberman ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz (Editorial) October 1, 2010 - 12:00am The official response from the prime minister's bureau, following Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman's speech to the United Nations General Assembly, was surprising. "The content of the foreign minister's speech was not coordinated with the prime minister," the statement said, adding "Prime Minister Netanyahu is the one handling the negotiations on Israel's behalf." » Read more

U.S. envoy steps up shuttle to save Mideast talks ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters by Ali Sawafta - September 30, 2010 - 12:00am U.S. envoy George Mitchell on Thursday stepped up the pace of efforts to save Middle East peace talks launched four weeks ago, saying he was seeking common ground to avert their collapse. Former Senator Mitchell was speaking after meeting Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who says he will pull out of the talks unless Israel extends a freeze on new building in Jewish West Bank settlements, which expired this week. » Read more

Fayyad signs $40 million World Bank agreement ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency October 1, 2010 - 12:00am World Bank representative Miram Sherman signed an agreement with Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Salam Fayyad on Thursday to deliver a $40 million grant to the PA. Fayyad said the grant was aimed at enabling the PA to continue building state institutions and developing the infrastructure for a Palestinian state. During the signing ceremony at Fayyad's Ramallah office, the prime minister thanked the World Bank for empowering the Palestinian state to meet the needs of Palestinians, particularly as the PA worked to complete its state-building initiative.

Commentary: Instant diplomacy ATFP World Press Roundup Article from United Press International (UPI) by Arnaud De Borchgrave - (Analysis) October 1, 2010 - 12:00am Along with instant coffee, instant soup, instant oven cleaners, instant Viagra, instant pain relief from four-hour Viagra, it was only a matter of time before instant diplomacy made its debut on the nation's comedy channels. Some foreign leaders have concluded American youth -- and many older Americans, too -- have tuned out serious news and tuned in comedians who make fun of everything from the nuclear ambitions of superannuated Iranian mullahs to Osama bin Laden's air-conditioned deluxe cave in the Hindu Kush. » Read more

Rachel Corrie, an Israeli bulldozer, and our shared global fate ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Christian Science Monitor by Courtney E. Martin - (Opinion) September 30, 2010 - 12:00am Last month, several state witnesses took the stand in a Haifa District Court to testify in the civil law suit filed by Rachel Corrie’s family against the state of Israel. Many may still recall the disturbing photographs that wallpapered the world’s media outlets of Ms. Corrie, a 23-year-old activist from Walla, Walla, Washington, being crushed under a military bulldozer while trying to defend a Palestinian home in Rafah, Gaza under threat of demolition. » Read more