PM's Office okays Har Homa debate ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Yair Altman - May 19, 2011 - 12:00am Settlers are planning to erect three new outposts in the West Bank on the eve of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's speech before the US Congress, Ynet learned on Thursday. In addition, the Interior Ministry's planning and construction committee has approved a discussion on large-scale construction plans in Jerusalem's Har Homa neighborhood on the eve of Netanyahu's departure Hundreds of members of the Hilltop Youth have completed preparations for constructing the new outposts on the night between Monday and Tuesday, during Netanyahu's scheduled speech before AIPAC. » Read more

For Mideast peace, Israel needs to own up to Palestinian pain ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz (Opinion) May 19, 2011 - 12:00am Look what a few hundred demonstrators can do in a day: 1948 is on the agenda. The breach of the fence in the Golan Heights was enough to breach a far older and more complex fence, bringing 1948 to center stage in the political discussion. » Read more

Netanyahu must move forward and accept 1967 borders ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Ari Shavit - (Opinion) May 19, 2011 - 12:00am Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Knesset speech on Monday was a good one. He told the truth. He described the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as it is. He set down six principles for Israel as it seeks peace: recognition of Israel as the Jewish national home, a demilitarized Palestine that does not control the Jordan Valley, a solution outside Israel to the refugee problem, retention of settlement blocs, a united Jerusalem and a declaration of an end to the conflict with no further demands. » Read more

Fayyad loses bid for head of Palestinian unity government ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ahram Online by Saleh Al-Naami - May 18, 2011 - 12:00am Ahram Online has discovered through informed sources that Salam Fayyad, the head of the Palestinian government in Ramallah, is no longer being put forward as a candidate for the premiership in the forthcoming transitional government. Informed sources affirmed that Fayyad was in fact among the four names Fatah suggested for the post, while Hamas had also put forth four suggestions. Soon afterwards, however, the number of candidates shrank at both ends as Fatah no longer recommended Fayyad for the position. » Read more

Israeli army arrests six Palestinians in West Bank ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua May 19, 2011 - 12:00am The Israeli army arrested Thursday six Palestinians during raids in the West bank, Palestinian security sources and the Israeli military said. The Israeli army conducted its operations in various areas in the West Bank, which included raiding and searching a number of houses, Palestinian sources said. Israel Radio reported that the arrests are the wanted people on Israel's list. The Israeli army launch operations on daily bases in the West Bank, insisting that its operations target wanted Palestinians, while the Palestinians say that they sometimes arrest civilians.

Palestinian leadership urges U.S. to blame Israel on peace talks' failure ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua May 19, 2011 - 12:00am The Palestinian leadership on Thursday called on the United States to blame Israel on the failure of peace talks in the Middle East. "It is the time for the U.S. administration to announce that the Israeli government, led by Benjamin Netanyahu, thwarted the U. S. efforts to make peace," said Saeb Erekat, a PLO official. Later Thursday, U.S. President Barack Obama will deliver a speech on the Middle East. Also on Thursday, Netanyahu will arrive in Washington and will meet Obama Friday. » Read more

PREVIEW-Peace prospects bleak for Netanyahu U.S. visit ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters by Jeffrey Heller - May 18, 2011 - 12:00am Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu goes to Washington on Friday to rally opposition to a Palestinian bid for U.N. recognition of statehood. There is little indication the right-wing leader will, or can, offer new peacemaking ideas to persuade Palestinians not to take a detour at the U.N. General Assembly in September around the brick wall that the U.S. peace efforts have run into. » Read more

Fatah official says party ready for elections ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency May 18, 2011 - 12:00am Fatah leader Muhammad Al-Madani said Wednesday that the party was ready for local, presidential and legislative elections whenever Palestinian factions agree to hold them. Al-Madani said in a statement that Fatah members met and discussed the elections and whether they are ready for this step. The members agreed on some essential points during their meeting, he said. The caretaker Palestinian Authority decided Tuesday to delay municipal elections until October 22. The elections had been planned for July, but were postponed on the recommendation of the Central Elections Committee.

Report: 1,500 new settler homes ready for approval ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency May 19, 2011 - 12:00am The Planning and Building Committee for the Jerusalem municipality will discuss Thursday plans to build 1,500 new Jewish-only housing units in illegal settlements of Har Homa and Pisgat Ze'ev. Both settlements are built on lands occupied by Israel in 1967, and are at least partially constructed on privately owned Palestinian property. » Read more

Settlement Row May Steal Obama's Thunder ATFP World Press Roundup Article from SkyNews by Dominic Waghorn - May 19, 2011 - 12:00am A new settlement row threatens to overshadow a key speech on the Middle East by US President Barack Obama and Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu's visit to America. Har Homa The settlement of Har Homa on the outskirts of east Jerusalem Controversial plans to approve 1,608 new homes in east Jerusalem will be discussed as Mr Netanyahu boards a plane to fly to Washington DC. One plan involves carving into a picturesque hillside overlooking the West Bank town of Bethlehem to create 1,000 new homes for Jewish settlers near to the settlement of Har Homa. » Read more