November 9th, 2007

Arab-israeli Dispute Percolates ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Middle East Times (Editorial) November 9, 2007 - 6:06pm For some 60 odd years the Arab-Israeli conflict has been percolating, periodically exploding into open conflict then returning to a simmering position on the back-burner of world politics, usually after intense diplomatic efforts. During those six decades Arabs and Israelis have stopped short of accepting the one piece to this geopolitical jigsaw puzzle needed to bring lasting peace to the region. That is the mutual acceptance by Israel and the Palestinians of each other and recognizing that a two-state solution is the sole avenue leading to peace in the region. » Read more

Olive Branch Blossoms Amid Harvest Of Fear ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Times by James Hider - November 9, 2007 - 6:04pm In an olive grove on the edge of Nablus, Fuad Amr and his sons keep one eye on the branches they are stripping and the other warily on the Jewish settlement that overlooks their land from a hilltop. The settlers could descend at any time to intimidate them or even beat them and steal the fruit of their labour, as happens every year across the West Bank in the olive season. The Palestinian farmers, however, have found unlikely allies - Jewish activists, some of them Orthodox rabbis, who risk violence to protect them. » Read more

Has Hamas Split? ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Economist November 9, 2007 - 6:01pm JUST how divided is Hamas? Since the Islamist party took over the Gaza Strip in June, after months of violent clashes with the rival, secular-minded Fatah faction, Israel and the rest of the world have imposed an economic siege on the strip. Many perceive signs that Hamas is splitting under the pressure. That, in turn, has raised the prospect of Hamas becoming a busted flush—or of a moderate wing emerging that could do business with Fatah, rebuild a broader Palestinian front and perhaps even agree to the conditions that would enable it to negotiate with Israel. » Read more

Boosting The Slim Chances For Mideast Breakthrough ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Baltimore Sun by Shibley Telhami - (Opinion) November 9, 2007 - 5:58pm Should the imminent Israeli-Arab meeting in Annapolis inspire optimism? Critics of the Bush administration who have urged active peace diplomacy are hard-pressed to gainsay its seeming turnaround after years of neglect. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has convincingly projected seriousness, and many want to support her new activism. Even if the prospects for peace seem small, most breakthroughs in history come unexpectedly, often through surprising acts of leadership. » Read more

High Stakes For Annapolis Peace Meet ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Inter Press Service (IPS) by Ali Gharib - November 9, 2007 - 5:55pm Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas joined U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in Ramallah Monday to express optimism that progress towards a Palestinian state could be made in the upcoming talks sponsored by the George W. Bush administration between Israeli and Palestinian leaders in Annapolis, Maryland. But many critics fear that the hastily thrown-together meeting has greater inherent risks than the participants are willing to acknowledge. » Read more

The Jewish Lobby Israel Needs ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jewish Daily Forward by Akiva Eldar - (Opinion) November 9, 2007 - 5:51pm The next few weeks may determine the future of Zionism. This is not an exaggeration. If the upcoming Annapolis peace conference ends the same way as the Camp David summit of 2000, the future of the Jewish state will be in jeopardy. » Read more

Israel Flouts Pledge To Curb Settlements ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Los Angeles Times by Richard Bourdreaux - November 9, 2007 - 5:47pm Israel is enlarging 88 of its 122 West Bank settlements despite an agreement to halt the spread of Jewish communities in Palestinian territory, the watchdog group Peace Now said Wednesday. A report by the group, which documented the construction of new homes with aerial photography and on-site visits, heated up the debate here over a key issue for the U.S.-sponsored peace summit planned by year's end. » Read more

Cheerleaders For Assassination ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Israel Policy Forum by M.J. Rosenberg - (Opinion) November 9, 2007 - 5:46pm Something terribly ugly is happening in Israel. It started during Yitzhak Rabin's term as prime minister when right-wing extremists and religious fanatics joined in calling for his death and it would seem to have culminated with his assassination. But the ugliness continues. Yigal Amir, Rabin's assassin, turned out to have been no "lone lunatic," no Lee Harvey Oswald or Sirhan Sirhan who acted for reasons that were perhaps psychological and not political. » Read more

Palestinians Ease Demands For Conference ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Associated Press by Josef Federman - November 9, 2007 - 5:45pm Encouraged by a conciliatory speech by Israel's prime minister, Palestinian negotiators have eased their demands that an upcoming U.S.-hosted peace conference lay out a plan for statehood, officials said Thursday. The Palestinians said they were pleased with Israeli pledges to resume peace talks after the conference this month — and were now less concerned with a pre-summit understanding that had bogged down earlier negotiations. » Read more

Israel And Palestinians Turn To U.s. As Talks Hit Snag ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters by Wafa Amr - November 9, 2007 - 5:43pm Palestinian and Israeli negotiators are turning to U.S. mediators to bridge serious gaps in drafting a common approach to peace negotiations, officials on both sides said on Thursday. A senior Palestinian negotiator told Reuters the two sides sought U.S. intervention on Tuesday after negotiators failed to resolve differences over a document they hope to present at a conference in the coming weeks in Annapolis, Maryland, that aims to set terms for relaunching peace talks. » Read more