December 19th

'australianist' Sees Barriers To Peace ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Australian by Greg Sheridan - December 19, 2007 - 4:01pm IN so far as you can have one, Isaac Herzog is an Australianist in the Israeli Government. He is the Minister for Labour, and a key Labour Party figure in keeping Ehud Olmert's coalition Government together. He believes Australia's diplomatic and political support for Israel has been important, and he hails Australia as "highly respected, a very important state in world politics because of its worldwide involvement. It's also a donor country to the peace process." » Read more

The Palestinians Need Peace As Well As Aid ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Telegraph by Tim Butcher - (Opinion) December 19, 2007 - 4:00pm There is a children's park not far from my Jerusalem home, which neatly illustrates international aid attempts to deal with the Israel-Palestine question. The playground, really only known to the Palestinian local population, was paid for by an Italian contribution, funded through the EU and constructed by the UN Development Programme, and, at first glance, all looks in order with its see-saw, slides and climbing frame. Then you notice the swings. » Read more

Jerusalem: What's In Your Fridge? ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Bbc News December 19, 2007 - 3:43pm As part of the BBC's season looking at sustainable food, we take a peek in the fridges of people in cities around the world and ask what motivates their food choices. Khalil Abu Arqub is a 50-year-old Palestinian headmaster who lives in Jerusalem. Contents: tomatoes, peppers, lemon, cucumber, bananas, apples, hummous, labneh (yoghurt), tuna, spam, sugary water (for Arabic desserts), potatoes, pepper sauce (for chicken) and ketchup. In the freezer are 2kg of chicken and 2kg of chicken liver. » Read more

Funding Mideast Hope ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Star (Editorial) December 19, 2007 - 3:42pm Canada and the world have just cast a vote of confidence in the Mideast peace process by pledging $7.4 billion in aid to the Palestinians at a donors conference in Paris. The show of generosity surprised Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who had asked for $2 billion less. » Read more

Egypt: Israel Recognised By Govt, Not By People ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Inter Press Service (IPS) by Khaled Moussa Al-omrani, Adam Morrow - December 19, 2007 - 3:40pm Thirty years after late Egyptian president Anwar Sadat's historic trip to Israel, Egyptian diplomatic relations with the Hebrew state remain cordial. On a popular level, however, the relationship -- buttressed by the 1979 Camp David peace agreement -- still represents a major source of contention. "The so-called peace between Egypt and Israel continues to lack popular approval," Ahmed Thabet, professor of political science at Cairo University told IPS. "Meanwhile, Israel has exploited the situation to maintain racist, expansionist policies." » Read more

Vol. 9, Issue 15 ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Americans For Peace Now by Middle East Peace Report - December 19, 2007 - 3:39pm THE LEFT BANK: Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayad is expected to ask donor states at a conference in Paris today to pledge $5.6 billion over three years in financial assistance to help build the future Palestinian state. The Paris conference is the first forum for international states to make pledges to assist the Palestinian Authority since 1996. » Read more

A Second Win For Ms. Rice ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Baltimore Sun (Editorial) December 19, 2007 - 3:37pm Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was as successful in passing the hat for the Palestinians this week as she was in persuading reluctant Arab leaders to attend last month's peace summit. She had to be because the limited progress made at the Annapolis meeting isn't going to be enough to sustain peace talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority without improvements in the daily lives of its citizens. » Read more

Israeli Plan For Homes Near Jerusalem Under Fire ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters by Adam Entous, Ari Rabinovitch - December 19, 2007 - 3:36pm Israel's Housing Ministry has drawn up a preliminary proposal to build new homes on occupied land near Jerusalem but Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's office said on Wednesday the plan has not been authorised. The issue of Israeli settlement building in the Jerusalem area has clouded renewed peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians launched at a U.S.-sponsored conference last month. » Read more

Palestinian Militants Die In Israeli Strikes On Gaza Strip ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Los Angeles Times by Rushdi Abu Alouf, Ken Ellingwood - (Special Report) December 19, 2007 - 3:08pm Israel on Tuesday carried out more airstrikes against Palestinian rocket squads based in the Gaza Strip, killing at least six more militants a day after slaying Islamic Jihad's military chief. Israeli air operations have killed at least 11 militants since Monday evening. Most belonged to Islamic Jihad, which has claimed responsibility for dozens of cross-border rocket attacks into southern Israel in recent months. » Read more

Down Payment On Mideast Peace ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times (Editorial) December 19, 2007 - 3:07pm The political and territorial challenges facing Israeli and Palestinian peace negotiators are formidable and familiar. The economic obstacles to the creation of a viable Palestinian state are also formidable, but easier to make a dent in — if all the donors who claim to care about the Palestinians and peace live up to their promises. » Read more