October 15th, 2007

Rice Treads Carefully Towards Peace Deal
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Financial Times
by Jan Mcgirk, Roulaf Khalaf, Daniel Dombey - October 15, 2007 - 3:09pm

Condoleezza Rice arrived in the Middle East on Sunday to lay the ground for a showpiece meeting to be held this year in the US that is designed to advance Palestinian statehood and lift the fortunes of the beleaguered US administration. But as the clock starts ticking on the meeting, provisionally scheduled for late November in Annapolis, near Washington, the US secretary of state was confronted with the conflicting expectations of the Israelis and Palestinians on a document setting out the parameters of a final peace deal.

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Uphill Climb For Rice On Mideast Peace
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Christian Science Monitor
by Howard Lafranchi - October 15, 2007 - 3:04pm

As the Bush administration moves to revive the long-dormant Middle East peace process – most notably by calling Israeli and Palestinian leaders to an international conference to be held next month outside Washington – pressure is building for a White House to deliver on its new quest for peace.

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Palestinians Prepare To Stand Up For What Matters
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Inter Press Service (IPS)
by Ramsey Ben-achour - October 15, 2007 - 3:02pm

Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians are expected to take part in demonstrations highlighting poverty and inequality in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT). Palestinians in the territories number three to four million. Oct. 17 has been picked as the United Nations-recognised International Day for the Eradication of Poverty.

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Over The Line
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times
by Adam Lebor - October 15, 2007 - 2:58pm

There are two Israels: one inside the Green Line, the 1967 border, the other an occupying power extending beyond it. The first is a vibrant democracy, with Arab members of Parliament, university professors and lawyers, beauty queens and soldiers, and even a Muslim cabinet minister.

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Rice Pushes Israelis, Palestinians Toward Middle
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters
by Arshad Mohammed - October 15, 2007 - 2:47pm

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice tried on Monday to push Palestinians and Israelis toward a middle ground in drafting a joint document seen as key to the success of a U.S.-hosted peace conference this year. After meeting Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Rice said the document should "seriously and substantively" address the core issues of the conflict -- a sharp contrast with Israeli hopes to keep it as vague as possible.

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Palestinian Census First In Decade
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Associated Press
by Dalia Nammari - October 15, 2007 - 2:46pm

The Palestinians are preparing to conduct their first census in a decade, with hopes the results will help them in future peace talks with Israel. Demographics play a central role in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Rapid Palestinian growth would bolster Palestinian territorial demands, while Israelis' fear of being outnumbered in areas they now control might make them more willing to consider a West Bank withdrawal.

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Arabs Skeptical Of U.s. Peace Effort
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Los Angeles Times
by Jeffrey Fleishman - October 15, 2007 - 2:41pm

The upcoming Israeli-Palestinian peace conference resembles a dinner party with a less-than-inspiring menu and a bunch of well-tailored yet exasperated guests who, if they show up at all, doubt that anyone will go home happy. Posturing and recrimination often characterize such negotiations, but Arab nations, including Washington's closest allies, are criticizing the November conference as a miscalculated photo op by a Bush administration desperate to repair its image in the Middle East.

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Obstacles Stall Rice's Mideast Diplomacy
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Associated Press
by Matthew Lee - October 15, 2007 - 2:39pm

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice opened an intense round of Mideast shuttle diplomacy Sunday, struggling to bring Israelis and Palestinians close enough to make a planned U.S.-hosted peace conference worthwhile. The two sides are at bitter odds over an outline of a peace agreement that would be presented at next month's conference, and Rice sought to lower expectations her mission would finalize preparations for the gathering.

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October 14th

The Los Angeles Times examines Arab misgivings regarding the intentions behind the fall Mideast meetings as well as prospects for its success (2.) The Associated Press reports on plans for the first Palestinian census in the occupied territories in a decade and how the results could impact future peace talks with Israel (3.) The New York Times reviews the new book by Israeli historian Zertal and Israeli journalist Eldar on the Israeli settlement project in the occupied Palestinian territories (5.) The Christian Science Monitor assesses the prospects of reviving the Mideast peace process as the Bush administration ratchets up its engagement in the lead up to the fall meeting (7.) The Guardian (UK) looks at new statements by Israeli PM Olmert regarding Israel's willingness to return parts of occupied East Jerusalem to the Palestinians (9.) The Independent (UK) reports on the impressions being made on Quartet envoy Tony Blair as he travels the West Bank as part of his mission of strengthening Palestinian institutions and the economy (11.) An Arab News (Saudi Arabia) editorial finds positive signs for movement on the peace process in recent Israeli and Palestinian statements on the issue (13.) A Haaretz (Israel) opinion by Akiva Eldar spells out what an personal involvement by President Bush in advancing Israeli-Palestinian peace should be composed of (15.)

October 12th

Peace Virus Is Back
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews
by Gadi Baltiansky - (Opinion) October 12, 2007 - 2:26pm

Lately, a new epidemic has been threatening to attack Israel’s public discourse. A peace conference, an agreement with the Palestinians, ceremonies with the US president – diseases from the past we thought we had already overcome. We got used to the comfortable life of no partner, no negotiations, and no hope; and suddenly, the peace virus is approaching again. The cure that was found for it is rather simple: A dismissive hand gesture; let that bothersome mosquito flies away from here.

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