Israel Flouts Pledge To Curb Settlements ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Los Angeles Times by Richard Bourdreaux - November 9, 2007 - 5:47pm Israel is enlarging 88 of its 122 West Bank settlements despite an agreement to halt the spread of Jewish communities in Palestinian territory, the watchdog group Peace Now said Wednesday. A report by the group, which documented the construction of new homes with aerial photography and on-site visits, heated up the debate here over a key issue for the U.S.-sponsored peace summit planned by year's end. » Read more

Cheerleaders For Assassination ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Israel Policy Forum by M.J. Rosenberg - (Opinion) November 9, 2007 - 5:46pm Something terribly ugly is happening in Israel. It started during Yitzhak Rabin's term as prime minister when right-wing extremists and religious fanatics joined in calling for his death and it would seem to have culminated with his assassination. But the ugliness continues. Yigal Amir, Rabin's assassin, turned out to have been no "lone lunatic," no Lee Harvey Oswald or Sirhan Sirhan who acted for reasons that were perhaps psychological and not political. » Read more

Palestinians Ease Demands For Conference ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Associated Press by Josef Federman - November 9, 2007 - 5:45pm Encouraged by a conciliatory speech by Israel's prime minister, Palestinian negotiators have eased their demands that an upcoming U.S.-hosted peace conference lay out a plan for statehood, officials said Thursday. The Palestinians said they were pleased with Israeli pledges to resume peace talks after the conference this month — and were now less concerned with a pre-summit understanding that had bogged down earlier negotiations. » Read more

Israel And Palestinians Turn To U.s. As Talks Hit Snag ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters by Wafa Amr - November 9, 2007 - 5:43pm Palestinian and Israeli negotiators are turning to U.S. mediators to bridge serious gaps in drafting a common approach to peace negotiations, officials on both sides said on Thursday. A senior Palestinian negotiator told Reuters the two sides sought U.S. intervention on Tuesday after negotiators failed to resolve differences over a document they hope to present at a conference in the coming weeks in Annapolis, Maryland, that aims to set terms for relaunching peace talks. » Read more