October 17th, 2007

Rice Rules Out Timetable For Middle East Talks
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from United Press International (UPI)
October 17, 2007 - 10:45am

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said in the West Bank a timetable is not necessary for a permanent accord between Israel and the Palestinians. Rice said after a series of meetings in Ramallah that a timetable is not necessary as a precondition for November peace talks in Annapolis, Md., Ynetnews reported Tuesday.

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Far Right Israelis Get Boost From Senator
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jewish Daily Forward
by Marissa Brostoff - October 17, 2007 - 10:43am

A Republican presidential candidate is backing a controversial right-wing campaign to oppose the current peace process between Israelis and Palestinians. Kansas Senator Sam Brownback announced on Wednesday that he was supporting “The Israeli Initiative: The Right Road to Peace,” a plan proposed Rabbi Binyamin Elon, chairman of Israel’s right-wing National Union Party.

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Palestinians Launch First Census In A Decade
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters
by Rebecca Harrison - October 17, 2007 - 10:39am

Palestinians launched their first census in a decade on Wednesday, visiting thousands of homes in the West Bank and Gaza Strip in the hope of boosting their bid for an independent state. About 1,000 officials spread out across towns in Palestinian territories, drawing blue and red numbers on homes and offices ahead of a head count in December. The colorful markings will be used later to help count communities more easily.

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Rice Draws On 'spiritual Passion' In Push For Peace
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Washington Post
by Michael Abramowitz, Scott Wilson - (Editorial) October 17, 2007 - 10:37am

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice broke away from her diplomatic meetings here to sit down with the top religious leaders -- Christian, Jewish and Muslim -- of this holy city Monday night. According to people present, she heard about the failure of Israeli authorities to recognize the Greek Orthodox patriarch, a top Muslim cleric's lack of access to Jerusalem's al-Aqsa Mosque and other complaints.

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Egypt Helps Bolster Prospect Of Peace Talks
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times
by Steven Lee Myers - October 17, 2007 - 10:36am

Egypt expressed unusually strong support on Tuesday for the Bush administration’s efforts to hold an international conference this fall to begin negotiating peace between the Israelis and the Palestinians. Egypt’s leaders, including President Hosni Mubarak, have criticized aspects of the effort, but after meetings here with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit said he believed that the administration was determined to have meaningful talks.

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Hamas Softening Throws Twist In Talks
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Christian Science Monitor
by Ilene Prusher - October 17, 2007 - 10:34am

Hamas, the Palestinian movement that months ago battled rival Fatah for control of Gaza, is now beginning to wield a more conciliatory weapon: messages of moderation. A spokesman for Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, deposed as Palestinian prime minister after militant Islamists staged a coup in June, said Tuesday that Hamas does not oppose peace talks with Israel.

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Gop Candidates: Protect Israel
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Associated Press
by Libby Quaid - October 17, 2007 - 10:33am

Israel's security must be safeguarded in the coming talks between the Israelis and Palestinians, GOP presidential contenders told the Republican Jewish Coalition on Tuesday. Palestinians must acknowledge Israel's right to exist as a Jewish state and make a good-faith effort to stop terrorism, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani said.

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October 16th

The Christian Science Monitor looks at how recent more moderate statements by Hamas regarding negotiating with Israel are impacting efforts to exclude the group and increasing calls for Palestinian reconciliation (2.) The Washington Post examines the determination of Secretary Rice to achieve a breakthrough in Mideast peace efforts during the last 14 months of the Bush administration (4.) The Forward reports on the backing of Senator Brownback, a Republican presidential candidate, for an Israeli right-wing campaign to oppose the current Israeli-Palestinian peace process (6.) The Independent (UK) reports on warnings by the Israeli Likud party about returning any part of occupied East Jerusalem to the Palestinians (8.) A Daily Star (Lebanon) opinion by Rami Khouri assesses why the current peace momentum is unlikely to succeed due to its coming too late and too hastily (9.) A Haaretz (Israel) opinion by Shmuel Rosner argues that the setting of a time for the fall meeting was a mistake that will have serious consequences (12.)

A Prelude Of Niceties
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Akiva Eldar - (Opinion) October 16, 2007 - 1:04pm

Ahead of Annapolis, Olmert and Abbas have agreed to disagree, while Bush is promising 'real results' Israelis and Palestinians who have met with United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in recent days and have spoken with her staff have gained the impression that she does not really know what on earth her boss wants from her. It isn't that Dr. Rice has a hearing problem. Her problem is that United States President George W. Bush has apparently not yet decided what exactly he wants to achieve at the Annapolis peace conference.

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Rice's Visit / In The Shadow Of Mlk
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Aluf Benn - (Opinion) October 16, 2007 - 1:02pm

When Condoleezza Rice talks about the establishment of a Palestinian state next to Israel, she sees in her mind's eye the struggle of African Americans for equal rights, which culminated in the period of her Alabama childhood. Rice is very aware of political sensitivity, and avoids making such comparisons in public speeches and interviews, where she keeps to the official list of talking points. But in private, she talks about the

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