Annapolis: Why Failure Is Not An Option ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Arab News by Walid Awad - (Opinion) November 23, 2007 - 6:44pm The Israeli right-wing and its allies in the media are working relentlessly to undermine the Annapolis peace conference. To make the conference convened by President Bush, his Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has made no less than eight visits to the Middle East in less than a year. But the Israeli government’s position on the conference has always been that of a reluctant participant, sending contradictory messages, lowering expectations and discouraging optimism about the outcome. » Read more

More Palestinian-israeli 'normalization' Is Needed ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Daily Star by Walid Salem - (Commentary) November 23, 2007 - 6:43pm In the Arab and Islamic world, normalization is looked upon as the process of building open and reciprocal relations with Israel in all fields, including the political, economic, social, cultural, educational, legal and security fields. Those who reject such "normalization" are divided into two groups: one thinks that Israel was established on Islamic and Palestinian land and at the expense of the Palestinian people, the legitimate owners of the land, who consequently suffered a fate as refugees outside their country. » Read more

Don't Knock Annapolis ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz (Editorial) November 23, 2007 - 6:42pm Lucky for Stalin, Roosevelt and Churchill that the disparaging phrase "photo-op" had not been coined during their time. Otherwise, the wise guys of their generation would have torn into the Tehran Conference (1943) even before it could convene, causing the war to last even longer. » Read more

The Jerusalem Fig Leaf ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Noam Shelef - (Opinion) November 23, 2007 - 6:41pm The latest assault on Israeli sovereignty comes from an unexpected direction. The Orthodox Union, together with a coalition of less-reputable Jewish American organizations, has launched a campaign arguing that the Israeli government lacks the authority to negotiate over Jerusalem. » Read more

Saudis To Attend Middle East Peace Conference ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Guardian by Peter Walker - November 23, 2007 - 6:40pm Saudi Arabia's foreign minister is to attend next week's Middle East peace conference, he announced today, in a significant boost to the US-sponsored talks. "I'm not hiding any secret about the Saudi position. We were reluctant until today," Saud al-Faisal told a press conference at the ongoing Arab League meeting in Cairo. » Read more

Rice Sets Mid-east Peace Target ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Bbc News November 23, 2007 - 6:39pm US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has said the United States will try to broker a peace deal between Israel and the Palestinians over the next year. Ms Rice said both sides had agreed to work towards the establishment of an independent Palestinian state before US President George W Bush leaves office. She also said Washington hoped such negotiations would be launched at next week's peace conference in Annapolis. Invitations have been issued to Israel, the Palestinians and key Arab states. » Read more

America Holds The Key To Mideast Peace ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Financial Times by Anatol Lieven - (Commentary) November 23, 2007 - 6:37pm The absurd and tragic thing about the inability of the Israelis and Palestinians to work out a final peace settlement is that, compared with many conflicts, the terms of a settlement are not difficult to delineate and most impartial experts are agreed on them. They are as set out in a public letter jointly issued by the New America Foundation and other bodies. Key points are a territorial settlement on the basis of the 1967 borders and that Palestinian refugees give up the demand of return to Israel in return for massive compensation. » Read more

Un Official Says Israel's Siege Of Gaza Breeds Extremism And Human Suffering ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Independent by Donald Macintyre - (Opinion) November 23, 2007 - 6:36pm A senior United Nations official has issued an unprecedented appeal to British MPs to use their influence to try to alleviate the impact of "indiscriminate" and "illegal" Israeli sanctions in Gaza which display "profound inhumanity" and are "serving the agenda of extremists". » Read more

Demolition Decimating Palestinian Village ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Inter Press Service (IPS) by Ramsey Ben-achour - November 23, 2007 - 6:35pm Al Walajeh village was once a quiet but busy place. Just four kilometers from Bethlehem and 8.5 km from Jerusalem, its rolling hills filled with fruit trees, natural forests, and blooming vegetation made it a prime farming location. Easy access to large and consistent markets led its inhabitants to relative economic prosperity. Life was good. Today, however, Al Walajeh village is a different place altogether. "The demolishing of houses is a weekly event here in Al Walajeh, " Sheerin Alaraj, Al Walajeh Village Council member, told IPS. » Read more

Time Does Not Favor The Jewish State ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jewish Daily Forward by Leonard Fein - November 23, 2007 - 6:34pm Habonim Camp Moshava, which I attended as a camper many years ago, was then located on Maryland’s Severn River. The landmark (or watermark, I suppose) was significant, since the Severn was frequently infested with antisemitic jellyfish. (“Jellyfish” are actually not fish at all, since they are not vertebrates. They have no brain, either, but oh do they have tentacles, which they use to sting and even kill.) » Read more