October 26th

In memoir, Rice says 'historic peace' nearly reached
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency
October 26, 2011 - 12:00am

WASHINGTON (Ma'an) -- In Condoleezza Rice's new memoir, No Higher Honor, the former US secretary of state claims a "historic peace deal" between Israel and the Palestinians was once close at hand in 2007. In the memoir, Rice says Israel's then-prime minister, Ehud Olmert, was ready to make "an extraordinary offer" to President Mahmoud Abbas, Newsweek Magazine reported Tuesday citing an advance copy.

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A textbook case of politicization
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Los Angeles Times
(Editorial) October 25, 2011 - 12:00am

Last week we wrote about California's decision to require teachers and textbooks to include positive messages about gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people in their lessons. We opposed that law — not because we think schools shouldn't teach about the contributions of people of all sexual orientations (they should!), but because we're concerned about the continuing politicization of California's classrooms.

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October 25th

NEWS: The controversy continues over Palestinian textbooks in occupied East Jerusalem. A planned “Museum of Tolerance” in occupied East Jerusalem is criticized by international archaeologists. Palestinian officials say the Quartet should judge which side is undermining peace. The PA says the Israeli government is not cracking down on settler violence. Egypt and Israel agree to a prisoner swap. The PA says Israel should release Marwan Barghouti. Jordan's King expresses doubt that Israel is really interested in a two-state solution. Israel mildly disciplines an occupation forces officer who killed a Palestinian. COMMENTARY: Timothy Wirth says if Palestine is accepted as a member, the US will have to resign from UNESCO. Ha'aretz says PM Netanyahu should listen to his own military experts. Anshel Pfeffer says the Israeli army is becoming dominated by religious fanatics. Sari Bashi says it's time to lift the siege of Gaza. Gershon Baskin says Israel should talk to Hamas. Robi Dameli says former Palestinian prisoners could turn into future peacemakers. Sarah Kreimer says settlement activity in occupied East Jerusalem is destroying the two-state solution. Yossi Alpher says the Israel-Hamas prisoner swap is not relevant to the real issues and Ghassan Khatib says it will have no impact on the moribund peace process. Barbara Slavin says the Obama administration is likely to maintain a cautious foreign policy until the next election.

Former Palestinian prisoners, future peacemakers?
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Arab News
by Robi Damelin - (Opinion) October 25, 2011 - 12:00am

The whole country is talking about it: Over 1,000 Palestinian prisoners, many of whom were involved in suicide attacks in which lives were lost, were freed in exchange for the kidnapped Israeli solider Gilad Shalit who had been held in captivity in Gaza for over five years.

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East Jerusalem construction scuttling two-state solution
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Sarah Kreimer - (Opinion) October 21, 2011 - 12:00am

We’re in the midst of a housing crisis, and our government has promised to build tens of thousands of new homes all over the country. So what’s wrong with the recent government decision to advance the construction of 2,610 apartments in Givat Hamatos in Jerusalem?

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Encountering Peace: What’s next?
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post
by Gershon Baskin - (Opinion) October 25, 2011 - 12:00am

Rarely have so many Israelis celebrated an event with such solidarity and national pride. So many of the hundreds of thank-you letters I have received from people I have never met included expressions about their connectedness to this country and to each other. The return of Gilad Schalit brought out the best in most of us, and few people I know did not have tears in their eyes when we saw him for the first time. We all felt proud when he saluted the prime minister and the chief of staff.

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Time to lift Gaza siege
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews
by Sari Bashi - (Opinion) October 25, 2011 - 12:00am

In the past five years it was impossible to separate the Gaza siege policy from Gilad Shalit’s captivity. During these years, Israeli decision-makers, who made no progress in negotiations with Hamas, invested their efforts in formulating and implementing a policy that would express the public’s fury and frustration.

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Not relevant to the real issue
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Bitterlemons
by Yossi Alpher - (Opinion) October 24, 2011 - 12:00am

The best hint the Middle East could provide as to the ramifications of last week's prisoner exchange for the overall conflict came two days after the exchange itself. It was the dramatic death of Libya's Muammar Gaddafi. The pace of events in the region, particular in light of the Arab revolutions surrounding Israel and Palestine, is so great and so varied and unpredictable that no single event involving repatriated prisoners could possibly have a lasting effect.

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No impact on a dead process
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Bitterlemons
by Ghassan Khatib - (Opinion) October 24, 2011 - 12:00am

Perhaps surprisingly to some, the exchange of prisoners negotiated between Israel and Hamas, with Egypt's mediation, might not have any impact at all on the peace process. This deal was most remarkable in its overwhelmingly positive reception by the Israeli and Palestinian publics. Israelis were a little bit cautious but mostly supportive. Palestinians, for their part, considered it a huge achievement. Despite this "win-win" outcome, it is difficult for any deal to have an impact on a political process that simply no longer exists.

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With Shalit free, Israel should end Gaza blockade, which only boosts Hamas
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews
by Sari Bashi - (Opinion) October 25, 2011 - 12:00am

In the past five years it was impossible to separate the Gaza siege policy from Gilad Shalit’s captivity. During these years, Israeli decision-makers, who made no progress in negotiations with Hamas, invested their efforts in formulating and implementing a policy that would express the public’s fury and frustration.

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