Pres. Obama insists that the 1967 borders must be the starting point of any negotiations. PM Netanyahu calls the borders “indefensible.” New York Times says that the US and its allies need to put a map on the table. Jackson Diehl calls Obama’s Speech a "gaffe". ABC says there has been a subtle but significant shift in the US position on the ‘67 borders. Pres. Abbas calls Palestinian leadership meeting to discuss the speech. The PA is cracking down on “honor killing” mitigation defenses. Israel’s military attaché in Russia is expelled on espionage charges. Palestinians condemn new Israeli settlement plans. Abbas welcomes Obama’s call for renewed negotiations. Hamas condemns Obama’s speech. Abbas says UN support for statehood is essential. Ha’aretz says there may not be a third intifada. Huge files of Haganah reconnaissance on Arab villages in the 1940s are released. Zeev Sternhell warns that Israel is on course to becoming a pariah state. Israeli sources say tensions between Obama and Netanyahu have reached a new high, their meeting is likely to be tense, and opposition leader Livni says Netanyahu is risking the relationship with the United States. An Israeli official admits that the timing of the announcement of new and highly controversial settlements near occupied East Jerusalem is “not coincidental” and intended to send the message that “Jerusalem is not up for negotiations.” State Department statements continue to distinguish between Jerusalem and Israel. Herb Keinon says the Obama speech portends a confrontation and Robert Satloff says there has been a subtle US shift towards the Palestinian position. The ZOA urges AIPAC to withdraw its invitation to Obama. The National says Obama missed an opportunity to lead on peace. Even some of his allies are pushing Netanyahu to negotiate on the basis of 1967 lines. The Arab News says to win Arab trust Obama must deliver on Middle East peace. Hussein Ibish argues that Israelis and Palestinians need to recognize the legitimacy of each other's national narratives and embody them in two states.

Two Narratives for Two Peoples
In Print by Hussein Ibish - The Jewish Daily Forward (Opinion) - May 19, 2011 - 12:00am

Many Jewish Israelis and their supporters have reacted with outrage to a New York Times Op-Ed on May 17 by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, particularly its invocation of the Palestinian historical narrative. Most troubling to them was Abbas’s description of how his family was “forced” to flee their home in what became Israel in 1948 — a word choice they feel implies that Abbas and his family were evicted by Jewish troops.

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Two Narratives for Two Peoples
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jewish Daily Forward
by Hussein Ibish - (Opinion) May 19, 2011 - 12:00am

Many Jewish Israelis and their supporters have reacted with outrage to a New York Times Op-Ed on May 17 by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, particularly its invocation of the Palestinian historical narrative. Most troubling to them was Abbas’s description of how his family was “forced” to flee their home in what became Israel in 1948 — a word choice they feel implies that Abbas and his family were evicted by Jewish troops.

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Editorial: Fine words again
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Arab News
(Editorial) May 20, 2011 - 12:00am

Two years ago, President Barack Obama reached out to the Muslim world in Cairo, promising a new beginning to America’s relationship with it. The Muslim world responded enthusiastically. It reached back in hope having heard him say that it was his duty to fight negative stereotypes of Islam and declare solemnly that the Israeli settlements had to stop and that the US would not turn its back on legitimate Palestinian aspirations for a state of their own.

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Even allies say Netanyahu must put 1967 borders on negotiating table
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The National
by Hugh Naylor - May 20, 2011 - 12:00am

Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, is coming under pressure to agree to the 1967 borders as the basis for negotiating a Palestinian state ahead of his address to the US Congress next week. Critics and even some allies in Mr Netanyahu's right-wing government have strongly suggested he offer the compromise in the hope of reviving Middle East peace talks. That pressure received a significant boost by the US president, Barack Obama, who endorsed yesterday the idea of brokering a two-state solution with the 1967 lines as the starting point.

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Obama misses another chance to lead for peace
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The National
(Editorial) May 20, 2011 - 12:00am

At times, it seemed that Barack Obama thought that the Middle East did not include Israel or the Occupied Territories. "The United States opposes the use of violence and repression against the people of the region," the US president said last night. But there was not a word about 17 Palestinians killed earlier this week by Israeli security forces. "We support a set of universal rights," Mr Obama said." Whether you live in Baghdad or Damascus; Sanaa or Tehran." If Gaza or Ramallah had been mentioned, more explanation would have been needed.

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ZOA to AIPAC: Withdraw Obama invite
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA)
May 19, 2011 - 12:00am

The Zionist Organization of America urged AIPAC to rescind its invitation to President Obama after he called for Israeli-Palestinian negotiations on the basis of 1967 lines, saying Obama is the most hostile U.S. president ever to Israel. "We urge AIPAC to rescind the invitation for President Obama to speak and we urge friends of Israel and enemies of Islamist terrorism to contact your Members of Congress to fight against Obama’s anti-Israel policy," said the ZOA's statement Thursday. ZOA President Morton Klein added, "President Obama is the most hostile president to Israel ever.”

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Mid-East: Obama and Netanyahu to hold Washington talks
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from BBC World News
May 20, 2011 - 12:00am

Mr Obama has said a future Palestinian state must be based on the borders that existed prior to the 1967 war. He said "mutually agreed swaps" would help create "a viable Palestine, and a secure Israel". But Mr Netanyahu said the pre-1967 borders were "indefensible". An estimated 500,000 Israelis live in settlements built in the West Bank, which lies outside those borders. The settlements are illegal under international law, although Israel disputes this.

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A substantial shift toward the Palestinian position
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post
by Robert Satloff - May 20, 2011 - 12:00am

US President Obama did a great service in sketching out a new paradigm for American engagement with the Middle East in his State Department "winds of change" speech this afternoon, in which he raised the goal of reform and democracy to a top-tier US interest. Nevertheless, after critiquing Arab regimes that have used the Arab-Israeli conflict to distract their peoples from the important business of reform, he undermined the potency and effect of his own message by unveiling a new -- and controversial -- set of principles guiding US efforts to promote Israeli-Palestinian peace.

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The speech that signals a Washington-J'lem collision
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post
by Herb Keinon - May 19, 2011 - 12:00am

US President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu seemed on a collision course following Obama’s speech Thursday night where the president called for a return to the 1967 lines, with mutually agreed-upon land swaps. Netanyahu’s position, which he highlighted in an unexpectedly negative response to the president’s speech, is that the 1967 lines are indefensible.

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