June 5th, 2009

Muslims in U.S.: Speech hit 'right notes' ATFP World Press Roundup Article from USA Today by Marisol Bello - June 5, 2009 - 12:00am President Obama's call for Arabs, Israelis and Americans to abandon their suspicions and work together for a more secure future was welcomed more enthusiastically by Muslims on this side of the world than by Jews who expressed concerns about his support for the Palestinian cause. "He hit the right notes with the right tone," said Ziad Asali, president of the American Task Force on Palestine. "He gave the big picture in a speech that takes the high moral ground. It takes courage to say the things that are not exactly what your audience wants to hear." » Read more

US official: Settlement deal possible ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Herb Keinon - June 5, 2009 - 12:00am Washington feels "an arrangement that works" can be hammered out with Israel on the settlement issue, a senior administration official told The Jerusalem Post on Thursday, indicating the US recognizes some wiggle room in defining a "settlement freeze." "There's a professional, constructive dialogue on this issue," the official said, shortly after US President Barack Obama delivered his speech in Cairo. "We have differences, but believe we can find an arrangement that works." » Read more

Some Israeli, U.S. officials move to keep the volume down ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA) by Ron Kampeas - June 4, 2009 - 12:00am Stop the shouting, we're trying to get something done over here -- that's the message from some U.S. and Israeli officials after weeks of reports about widening divergences over the settlements. The first example came Tuesday in the form of an e-mail from a senior White House official to the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, the umbrella body for public policy groups. » Read more

Yesha Council: Obama 'more Hussein than Barack' ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Erfat Weiss - June 5, 2009 - 12:00am "Only time will tell if the US president is Barack or Hussein," Yesha Council Director-General Pinchas Wallerstein said Thursday in response to Obama's historic speech in Cairo, in which called for a "new beginning between the United States and Muslims." » Read more

Obama sees 'great opportunity' in Mideast ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews June 5, 2009 - 12:00am Following his historic speech in Cairo Thursday, US President Barack Obama submitted to a special interview with seven journalists, including Yedioth Ahronoth correspondent Nahum Barnea, saying he sees a great opportunity to advance Mideastern peace. Noting that Israel is an economic power, the president said Israel could achieve greater prosperity though trade with Gulf States, while the Palestinians would enjoy the investments of Palestinian expatriates. » Read more

Israel considered two-state solution just after Six-Day War ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Tom Segev - June 5, 2009 - 12:00am On December 5, 1967, then-chief of staff Lt. Gen. Yitzhak Rabin suggested to prime minister Levi Eshkol that a Palestinian state be established in the West Bank. The minutes of that conversation are kept today in the state archives. Rabin had in mind a state "that would be connected to Israel." » Read more

Obama emerged in Cairo as a true friend of Israel ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Gideon Levy - (Analysis) June 5, 2009 - 12:00am Neither Tel Aviv nor Ramallah held their breaths Thursday as the American president gave a speech in Cairo; the traffic in both crowded cities continued normally. Tel Aviv was indifferent, Ramallah sunk in desperation: Both cities have already had their fill of nice, historic speeches. » Read more

Netanyahu now faces fight with either Obama or his coalition ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Yossi Verter - (Analysis) June 5, 2009 - 12:00am During long, personal conversations with his inner circle over the past week, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu admitted that he had no idea what U.S. President Barack Obama would say in his speech in Cairo. "We have no information," he said. He does now. » Read more

UN hearings to be held on Gaza war crimes ATFP World Press Roundup Article from BBC News June 5, 2009 - 12:00am A UN team investigating possible war crimes in Gaza says it will hold public hearings with victims of the conflict in Gaza and Geneva later this month. The team has spent the week interviewing witnesses and visiting sites damaged in Israel's three-week offensive, which ended on 18 January. Richard Goldstone, who is heading the team, said it had hoped to hold hearings in Israel and the West Bank. But Israel has refused to co-operate in the inquiry, accusing it of bias. » Read more

Obama and Merkel vow peace push ATFP World Press Roundup Article from BBC News June 5, 2009 - 12:00am One day after making a keynote speech in Cairo, Mr Obama said his government would seek a resumption of peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians. "The moment is now, to act on what both sides know to be truth," he said. Mr Obama is visiting the Nazi concentration camp in Buchenwald and afterwards a US Army hospital. His visit to Buchenwald has a personal significance. His maternal great-uncle, Charles Payne, had been one of the US servicemen present at the liberation of Ohrdruf, a satellite camp of Buchenwald. » Read more