October 10th, 2007

The Right Of The Link ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Eliezer Yaari - October 10, 2007 - 2:08pm In her article "The right and the return" (Haaretz, October 3), Ruth Gavison discusses what is again becoming the watershed in the interrupted dialogue between the Palestinians and Israel. At issue are historical rights, and in this case Israel's unwillingness to recognize the Palestinians' right of return. As in all the previous rounds, this watershed will end the diplomatic discussions aimed at an agreement. Gavison proposes an alternative definition for "the right of return": "the desire to return," which she says Israel would recognize. » Read more

What Israel Wants, Israel Gets ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Miftah by Joharah Baker - (Opinion) October 10, 2007 - 2:06pm There is a consistent thread, a pattern, which designs Israel’s policies in the Palestinian territories. Any scrutinizing observer will notice how Israel first pitches an idea to the public – however preposterous – then allows the Palestinians and the international community to absorb it before putting it into action. This way, policies and measures are less shocking and seem more acceptable once the dust has been allowed to settle. » Read more

The Need For Bravery And Frankness Before The Peace Option ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Dar Al Hayat by Raghida Dergham - (Opinion) October 10, 2007 - 2:05pm Of course, the Syrian government has the right to make the recovery of the Golan Heights a priority, whether through peaceful negotiations with Israel or liberating the area through armed resistance. Certainly, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is right when he said, "I'm the president of Syria and not the president of Palestine, and I have to work for the interest of my country. » Read more

So That Annapolis Will Not Be A Failure ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Daily Star by Rami Khouri - (Opinion) October 10, 2007 - 2:04pm The November Arab-Israeli peace-making meeting that US President George W. Bush has called for replays several similar moments in the past quarter-century, when gatherings were convened but did not achieve their full promise - at Madrid, Camp David, Taba and Oslo, among others. Will this year be any different? I hope so in my heart, but I do not think so, to judge by current political realities. » Read more

Israel Allows 3,500 Palestinians To Stay In Wb ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Deutsche Presse Agentur October 10, 2007 - 1:57pm The Israeli government has granted official residency status to 3,500 Palestinians who in the last decade entered the West Bank on Israeli-issued visitors’ visas but never left, Palestinian officials said Wednesday. Israel however did not grant official residency status to another 1,500 Palestinians residing illegally in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip. » Read more

Mid-east Diary: Summit Prospects ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Bbc News by Jeremy Bowen - October 10, 2007 - 1:53pm Another Middle East peace summit is coming up in the United States, but there are risks in holding summits on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and one of the main parties to the conflict, Hamas, is being excluded.  At the moment, the summit looks likely to start in Annapolis, Maryland, on 15 November. Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas are having regular meetings about it. They are trying to produce an agreed document about the future. Mr Abbas wants more detail. Mr Olmert wants something pretty vague. » Read more

Palestinian Goes To Court To Challenge Arms Sales To Israel ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Times October 10, 2007 - 1:52pm A Palestinian man today launched a High Court challenge to the legality of the Government’s grant of export licences for arms sales to Israel. Saleh Hasan, who claims Israel uses military equipment bought in Britain to repress Palestinians in violation of their human rights, has travelled to London for the case before Mr Justice Collins, expected to last two days. His counsel, Michael Fordham, QC, told the judge that the issue raised was one of significant and “wide public interest”. » Read more

Israeli Army Orders Confiscation Of Palestinian Land In West Bank ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Guardian by Conal Urquhart - October 10, 2007 - 1:49pm The Israeli army has ordered the seizure of Palestinian land surrounding four West Bank villages apparently in order to hugely expand settlements around Jerusalem, it emerged yesterday. The confiscation happened as Israeli and Palestinian negotiators met to prepare the ground for a meeting hosted by President George Bush in the United States aimed at reviving a diplomatic solution to the conflict. » Read more

Pressure In Israel For Missile Defense ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Christian Science Monitor by Ilene Prusher - October 10, 2007 - 1:44pm The firing of a long-range Katyusha rocket into Israel from Gaza on Sunday has ratcheted up concerns here for the increased threat of missiles against the Jewish state. The weapon of choice of Palestinian militants in Gaza has been the Kassam rocket, which has relatively poor aim and short range, but has nonetheless caused damage and killed 14 Israelis and injured hundreds more, according to an Israeli government tally. » Read more

Abbas Wants Return To Pre-1967 Borders ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Associated Press by Mohammed Daraghmeh - October 10, 2007 - 1:42pm Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Wednesday laid out his most specific demands for the borders of a future independent state, calling for a full Israeli withdrawal from all territories captured in the 1967 Mideast war. Abbas' claim comes as Israeli and Palestinian negotiating teams are trying to hammer out a joint vision for a future peace deal in time for a U.S.-hosted conference next month. » Read more