December 18th

Laughing All The Way To The (west) Bank ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Time by Andrew Lee Butters - December 18, 2007 - 12:24pm The Axis of Evil arrived in Lebanon last week. No, not in the form of some Iran-backed coup d' état, but as a stand-up comedy team made up of three Americans of Middle Eastern descent. (They couldn't find a funny North Korean.) On the last leg of a regional tour playing to sold-out venues in Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan, they arrived at the Casino Du Liban outside of Beirut with a certain sense of relief. Lebanon was the only country that allowed them to perform their routine with expletives undeleted — no small challenge for a modern American comedy act. » Read more

Israeli Neighborhood Haunts Peace Talks ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Associated Press by Sarah El Deeb - December 18, 2007 - 12:23pm The Jerusalem neighborhood of Har Homa, with its white stone buildings and billboards hawking new real estate projects, now has managed to disrupt Israeli-Palestinian peace talks for the second time in a decade. Israel's announcement this month that it plans to build 307 new homes in this east Jerusalem neighborhood, on land Palestinians want for the capital of their future state, drew international condemnation. The plan was the first wrench thrown into peace negotiations relaunched last week after a violent seven-year hiatus. » Read more

Conferees Pledge $7.4 Billion In Aid To Palestinian Authority ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Washington Post by John Ward Anderson - December 18, 2007 - 12:22pm Countries and international organizations pledged $7.4 billion in assistance to the impoverished Palestinian Authority at a conference in Paris on Monday, saying that an infusion of cash would help the peace process begun by the United States last month in Annapolis, Md. » Read more

Israel To Allow Building In Settlements ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters by Adam Entous - December 18, 2007 - 12:20pm Israel will allow construction within built up areas of existing Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank, but will not expand beyond those areas, Israeli officials said on Monday. The position could widen the rift in U.S.-backed peace talks launched by Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Annapolis, Maryland last month. » Read more

December 17th

Donor Nations To Ask Israel To Remove Roadblocks ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Avi Issacharoff, Assaf Uni - December 17, 2007 - 1:29pm The international donors conference to the Palestinian Authority is expected to issue a statement here today calling on Israel to remove roadblocks in the West Bank, European diplomatic sources said over the weekend. Representatives of the participating Arab countries are expected to criticize Israel sharply over the issues of roadblocks, the Gaza closure and construction in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Har Homa. The PA is hoping the donors conference will raise pledges for the unprecedented sum of $5.6 billion over the next three years. » Read more

Fayyad's Alibi ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Avi Issacharoff - December 17, 2007 - 1:27pm Today's donors conference to the Palestinian Authority, taking place in Paris, is a time for Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad to shine. A mere six months since he was appointed to the post, Fayyad has managed to win the international community's support for the economic plan that is the fruit of his labors. » Read more

The Military Option Failed ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz (Editorial) December 17, 2007 - 1:26pm The rain of Qassam rockets on Sderot and other communities in the western Negev has developed into a dangerous routine. This is not just because of the harm to people and property, but because of the growing feeling that Israel sees this strip of land's fate as sealed. To repel this feeling, and especially the accusation that the state is doing nothing to defend its citizens, the Israel Defense Forces and government are disseminating a counterthreat. For weeks, they have been saying that a major assault on Gaza is nearing - a huge blow that will end the Qassam plague once and for all. » Read more

The Viable Two-state Solution? ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Miftah by Caelum Moffatt - (Analysis) December 17, 2007 - 1:26pm Following the summit in Annapolis, Benjamin Netanyahu, leader of the Likud opposition party in Israel declared in reference to the Israeli / Palestinian peace process, “if it’s not broken, don’t fix it”. » Read more

Pledges To Be Kept ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jordan Times December 17, 2007 - 1:25pm The conference of the 90 donor countries for the Palestinians kicks off today in Paris amidst hopes that investment towards the economic development of the Palestinian territories also will be a critical investment in the peace process. » Read more

Israel And Iran’s Bomb ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Arab News by Jonathan Power - (Opinion) December 17, 2007 - 1:24pm Across most of the political spectrum Israel is in a state of shock. The recently released US National Intelligence Estimate which concludes that Iran probably stopped work on its nuclear bomb back in 2003 has pulled the rug from under Israel’s proclivity to shoot first and ask questions after. The Israeli media and government have done a good hatchet job on the inconsistencies buried within the fine text of the estimate but they have nonetheless got the message that the Bush administration seems intent on delivering. » Read more