Mideast Conference Nears, With Few Plans ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Washington Post by Glenn Kessler - November 19, 2007 - 4:21pm A few days after Thanksgiving, President Bush and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice plan to open a meeting in Annapolis to launch the first round of substantive Israeli-Palestinian peace talks during Bush's presidency. But no conference date has been set. No invitations have been issued. And no one really agrees on what the participants will actually talk about once they arrive at the Naval Academy for the meeting, which is intended to relaunch Bush's stillborn "road map" plan to create a Palestinian state. » Read more

Israel, Palestine, Crab Cakes ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times by Roger Cohen - (Opinion) November 19, 2007 - 4:20pm I would like to invest hope in the Annapolis Middle East peace conference, or meeting, or parley, or whatever the term is. Really, I would. The 59-year battle for the same land of Zionist and Palestinian national movements has not been good for anyone. » Read more

U.s. Pushes For Turnout At Middle East Conference ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times by Steven Erlanger - November 19, 2007 - 4:18pm By pushing Israel to accept immediate negotiations with the Palestinians on the thorny “final status” issues, with the aim to conclude a peace settlement within a year, the Bush administration is trying to attract a significant Arab presence at the peace conference in Annapolis, Md. The meeting in Annapolis, now penciled in to start Nov. 26 and last less than 24 hours, is meant to begin — and bless — negotiations between Israeli and Palestinian leaders on a final peace agreement between them, ostensibly to be completed by the end of the Bush presidency. » Read more

Under Siege, Life In Gaza Just Shrinks ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times by Steven Erlanger - November 19, 2007 - 4:18pm IT’S a miserable time to be a Gazan. EMPTY STREETS Gaza City can feel like a ghost town on a Friday morning, with its factories closed, jobs scarce and gas too expensive for many people to use. SCRIMPING Majid Ajour used to sell pigeons for $3 apiece. With the principal border crossings to Israel and Egypt closed, the price of imported feed has risen. Now he tries to sell his pigeons for nearly $4 each. » Read more