December 19th

Forgery, fraud undermine West Bank land deals
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Associated Press
December 18, 2008 - 1:00am

The transformation of a piece of West Bank land from a Palestinian field into a Jewish settlement has roots in an unlikely place — Orange County, Calif. — and in a document that a man supposedly signed more than four decades after the date of his death.

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Palestinian protesters hurl shoes at Israeli soldiers
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Agence France Presse (AFP)
December 19, 2008 - 1:00am

Demonstrators hurled their shoes at Israeli security forces on Friday in a protest against the West Bank separation barrier, following in the footprints of a now famous Iraqi journalist. Similar protests in the past near the village of Bilin have often ended with young Palestinians throwing rocks at Israeli troops who generally respond by firing tear gas and rubber-coated bullets.

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Transition's Jewish meeting brings in peace groups
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Politico
by Ben Smith - December 19, 2008 - 1:00am

Senior Obama aides met with the leaders of an unusually broad spectrum of 29 Jewish groups today at transition headquarters. Transition aides listened more than they spoke during a meeting that lasted almost two hours, and they heard a lot about Iran, but also about the question of boycotting a second Durban conference on racism next year.

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Lift the siege of Gaza
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Economist
(Editorial) December 19, 2008 - 1:00am

Contrary to the absurd claim of the rapporteur of the UN’s Human Rights Council, to whom Israel refused entry this week, the Gaza Strip is not facing a Nazi-like “Holocaust” at Israel’s hands. But the lot of the 1.5m Palestinians cooped up in this miserable scrap of desert is undeniably awful. Locked in on one side by Israel and on the other by Egypt, the Palestinians of Gaza have been subjected to an ever-tightening economic siege since the Palestinian Islamist movement, Hamas, booted the secular Fatah movement out of the strip in June 2007.

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Hamas declares Israel truce over
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from BBC News
December 19, 2008 - 1:00am

As the ceasefire expired at 0400 GMT, Hamas issued a statement blaming Israel which had not "respected" the truce. Israel's foreign ministry spokesman said the militants, who control Gaza, "had chosen violence over truth". The Egyptian-brokered deal began on 19 June but has been tested regularly by Palestinian rocket attacks on Israel and Israeli operations in Gaza. Hours after the announcement, Palestinian television carried pictures of militants conducting exercises.

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Truce in Gaza Ends, but May Be Revived by Necessity
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times
by Ethan Bronner - December 19, 2008 - 1:00am

Rockets are flying from Gaza into southern Israeli communities again. Israeli warplanes are firing missiles back, and Israel is closing the crossings through which food and fuel are supplied. The United Nations agency that feeds Palestinian refugees in Gaza says its stocks of flour are exhausted.

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December 18th

The six-month truce between Hamas and Israel is set to expire tomorrow, meanwhile rocket fire continues and speculation about the future abounds (1) (2) (3). UNRWA has suspended food aid to Gaza due to a flour shortage (5). An op-ed by ATFP Board Member George Hishmeh discusses the possible differences between a Livni or Netanyahu-led government in Israel (6). Speculation continues about the future of the peace process under President-elect Obama, with numerous observers, including ATFP Board Member Daoud Kuttab urging the US to press for early negotiations (4) (8) (10). A recent poll by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research shows most Palestinians continue to prefer PA President Mahmoud Abbas over Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh (9).

A Comprehensive Approach to the Middle East Peace Process
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Dar Al-Hayat
by David Miliband - (Opinion) December 18, 2008 - 1:00am

Next year needs to be an important year for the Arab-Israeli conflict. Unless we make real progress, the prospect of a two-state solution will slowly - or perhaps fast - slip away. The situation on the ground leaves too many people insecure, in poverty and despair, and is rapidly undermining the political process. While both sides are tiring of the conflict, they are also tiring, faster, of efforts to resolve it.

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Palestinians Prefer Abbas over Haniyeh
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Angus Reid Global Monitor
December 18, 2008 - 1:00am

Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas has lost support but remains the preferred choice to govern for many people in the Palestinian Territories, according to a poll by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research. 48 per cent of respondents would vote for Fatah leader Abbas in the next presidential election, down five points since August. Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh is second with 39 per cent. 14 per cent of respondents are undecided.

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Is the peace process irreversible?
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jordan Times
by Daoud Kuttub - (Opinion) December 18, 2008 - 1:00am

Lame-duck Palestinian, Israeli and US leaders are making serious effort these days to ensure that the Israeli-Palestinian peace process enters an irreversible track before they leave office.

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