December 19th

Will Donor Dollars Ensure Future State? ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Miftah by Caelum Moffatt - December 19, 2007 - 4:04pm On December 17, the highly anticipated day-long donor’s conference commenced in Paris. The conference, brainchild of Middle East envoy Tony Blair and attended by 70 countries and 20 organizations, aimed at providing a monetary basis to reform and develop the dire economic situation in Palestine as well as to set the conditions for the creation of a secure, stable and sustainable Palestinian state. » Read more

Much European Ado About Nothing In Palestine ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Daily Star by Rami Khouri - (Opinion) December 19, 2007 - 4:02pm I was in Germany talking to Europeans involved in Middle East issues during the run-up to the Paris conference on Palestinian aid, which on Monday pledged $7.4 billion over three years to the Palestinian half-government headed by President Mahmoud Abbas. Europeans seem again to respond to the challenges of engaging in the Arab-Israeli conflict with their usual financial generosity and political wishful thinking. » Read more

'australianist' Sees Barriers To Peace ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Australian by Greg Sheridan - December 19, 2007 - 4:01pm IN so far as you can have one, Isaac Herzog is an Australianist in the Israeli Government. He is the Minister for Labour, and a key Labour Party figure in keeping Ehud Olmert's coalition Government together. He believes Australia's diplomatic and political support for Israel has been important, and he hails Australia as "highly respected, a very important state in world politics because of its worldwide involvement. It's also a donor country to the peace process." » Read more

The Palestinians Need Peace As Well As Aid ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Telegraph by Tim Butcher - (Opinion) December 19, 2007 - 4:00pm There is a children's park not far from my Jerusalem home, which neatly illustrates international aid attempts to deal with the Israel-Palestine question. The playground, really only known to the Palestinian local population, was paid for by an Italian contribution, funded through the EU and constructed by the UN Development Programme, and, at first glance, all looks in order with its see-saw, slides and climbing frame. Then you notice the swings. » Read more

Jerusalem: What's In Your Fridge? ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Bbc News December 19, 2007 - 3:43pm As part of the BBC's season looking at sustainable food, we take a peek in the fridges of people in cities around the world and ask what motivates their food choices. Khalil Abu Arqub is a 50-year-old Palestinian headmaster who lives in Jerusalem. Contents: tomatoes, peppers, lemon, cucumber, bananas, apples, hummous, labneh (yoghurt), tuna, spam, sugary water (for Arabic desserts), potatoes, pepper sauce (for chicken) and ketchup. In the freezer are 2kg of chicken and 2kg of chicken liver. » Read more

Funding Mideast Hope ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Star (Editorial) December 19, 2007 - 3:42pm Canada and the world have just cast a vote of confidence in the Mideast peace process by pledging $7.4 billion in aid to the Palestinians at a donors conference in Paris. The show of generosity surprised Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who had asked for $2 billion less. » Read more

Egypt: Israel Recognised By Govt, Not By People ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Inter Press Service (IPS) by Khaled Moussa Al-omrani, Adam Morrow - December 19, 2007 - 3:40pm Thirty years after late Egyptian president Anwar Sadat's historic trip to Israel, Egyptian diplomatic relations with the Hebrew state remain cordial. On a popular level, however, the relationship -- buttressed by the 1979 Camp David peace agreement -- still represents a major source of contention. "The so-called peace between Egypt and Israel continues to lack popular approval," Ahmed Thabet, professor of political science at Cairo University told IPS. "Meanwhile, Israel has exploited the situation to maintain racist, expansionist policies." » Read more

Vol. 9, Issue 15 ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Americans For Peace Now by Middle East Peace Report - December 19, 2007 - 3:39pm THE LEFT BANK: Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayad is expected to ask donor states at a conference in Paris today to pledge $5.6 billion over three years in financial assistance to help build the future Palestinian state. The Paris conference is the first forum for international states to make pledges to assist the Palestinian Authority since 1996. » Read more

A Second Win For Ms. Rice ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Baltimore Sun (Editorial) December 19, 2007 - 3:37pm Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was as successful in passing the hat for the Palestinians this week as she was in persuading reluctant Arab leaders to attend last month's peace summit. She had to be because the limited progress made at the Annapolis meeting isn't going to be enough to sustain peace talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority without improvements in the daily lives of its citizens. » Read more

Israeli Plan For Homes Near Jerusalem Under Fire ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters by Adam Entous, Ari Rabinovitch - December 19, 2007 - 3:36pm Israel's Housing Ministry has drawn up a preliminary proposal to build new homes on occupied land near Jerusalem but Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's office said on Wednesday the plan has not been authorised. The issue of Israeli settlement building in the Jerusalem area has clouded renewed peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians launched at a U.S.-sponsored conference last month. » Read more