December 20th

Erdogan: Israel is to blame for failed peace talks ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post December 20, 2010 - 1:00am Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday that while there were recently high level talks between the Turkish Foreign Ministry and Israel in Geneva, there were no changes in Turkish demands regarding the "Israeli aggression against the humanitarian aid ships in Gaza" and the "murder" of nine Turkish citizens, Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) reported. » Read more

Bat Yam rally: 'Arabs dating our sisters' ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Yoav Zitun - December 20, 2010 - 1:00am An organization called Jews for a Jewish Bat Yam is expected to protest on Monday against the "assimilation of young Jewish women with Arabs living in the city or in nearby Jaffa." The protest will be held around 7:30 pm near the Bat Yam mall, not far from the police station. The organizers are also expected to show support for the controversial rabbis' letter. Prejudice? » Read more

'Palestinian hurting their cause by pursuing unilateral statehood' ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Avi Issacharoff - (Interview) December 20, 2010 - 1:00am The outgoing chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs, Howard Berman (D-CA), talks to Haaretz about the Palestinians' plan for unilateral declaration of statehood, Turkey's ties with Israel and the U.S., and President Barack Obama's foreign policy. There are some fears of a stalemate in foreign policy following the midterm elections. What are the chances of cooperation between the parties, especially as the 2012 elections approach? » Read more

Does Israel have a peace partner after all? ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Avi Issacharoff - (Opinion) December 20, 2010 - 1:00am It may be that the big news from Sunday's visit to Ramallah of the Geneva Initiative supporters is that somewhere, out there in the Palestinian territories and in Israel, there is still a peace camp that appeared to have entirely disappeared. In other words, to use the slogan of the Geneva Initiative, "there is a partner." More than 200 people, Israelis and Palestinians, crowded the conference room of the Muqata yesterday to hear their host, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, and have lunch. » Read more

PLO will not withdraw recognition of Israel: official ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua December 18, 2010 - 1:00am A senior Palestinian official on Saturday rejected reports that the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) was studying withdrawing its recognition of Israel in response to the resumption of settlement building. "The choices of the Palestinian leadership are known and clear, " said Yasser Abed Rabbo, a member of PLO's Executive Committee, " they do not include anything about the recognition of Israel." » Read more

Arab nations prepare to present draft resolution to UN General Assembly ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua December 19, 2010 - 1:00am The Arab states plan to present a draft resolution to the United Nations Security Council against the Jewish settlements and they will turn to the UN General Assembly if the United States vetoes the draft, a Palestinian official said. Nabil Shaath, a Palestinian negotiator, said that the UN General Assembly is similar to the UN Security Council in its ability to call for sanctions on the state that does not implement its resolutions. » Read more

Mubarak blames Israel for Mideast peace crisis ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Statesman by Maamoun Youssef - December 19, 2010 - 1:00am Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak on Sunday blamed Israel for the stalemate in peace negotiations with the Palestinians in a speech before a joint session of the Egyptian parliament's two chambers. Mubarak also warned Israel that the security of its people hinged on peace rather than "occupation or arms." » Read more

Slain American tourist had deep ties to Israel ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Statesman by Amy Teibel - December 20, 2010 - 1:00am An American tourist killed in a forest outside Jerusalem had deep spiritual ties to Israel through her involvement with an evangelical ministry that promotes Christianity among Jews. Kristine Luken, who was in her mid-40s, was stabbed to death Saturday while hiking with a friend. Israeli police had originally identified her as Christine Logan. Luken was involved with the "Church's Ministry among Jewish people," first in the U.S., then in England, where she became a ministry staffer. The church is active in Israel. » Read more

UPDATE 1-Israeli air strike kills five Gaza militants ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Alertnet December 18, 2010 - 1:00am An Israeli air strike killed five Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip on Saturday, Israeli and Palestinian officials said. The Israeli military said in a statement that its aircraft "targeted and identified hitting a squad of terror operatives who were preparing to launch rockets towards Israeli territory". Palestinian hospital officials said the five were militants. The Hamas Islamist group, which rules the Gaza Strip, says it has tried to curb rocket fire at Israel, but smaller groups continue to carry the out such attacks. » Read more

HRW: Israeli settlements 'displace' Palestinians ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency December 20, 2010 - 1:00am Palestinians in the occupied West Bank lack basic amenities and are effectively being forcibly displaced by discriminatory Israeli policies, Human Rights Watch said in a report released Sunday. The New York-based rights group called on the United States to penalize Israel by withholding from its massive annual aid a sum equal to the amount the state gives in subsidies to West Bank settlements. » Read more