January 16th

Faith, Freedom And Bling In The Middle East ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times by Maureen Dowd - (Opinion) January 16, 2008 - 5:21pm As a Saudi soldier with a gold sword high-stepped in front of him, President Bush walked slowly beside King Abdullah through the shivery gray mist enveloping the kingdom, following the red carpet leading from Air Force One to the airport terminal. When the two stepped onto the escalator, the president tenderly reached for the king’s hand, in case the older man needed help. He certainly does need help, but not the kind he is prepared to accept. » Read more

Gaza Strike Hardens Hamas Position ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Christian Science Monitor by Dan Murphy - January 16, 2008 - 5:20pm Mahmoud Zahar, the Hamas leader widely seen as the strategic mind behind the Islamist movement's successful takeover of the Gaza Strip last summer, struck a defiant tone when asked in an interview last week how long he thinks Hamas can maintain control in the face of an economic blockade and Israeli pressure. » Read more

January 15th

The Generals Of Professor Rice ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Amir Oren - January 15, 2008 - 6:04pm United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, the main impetus in the Bush administration for squeezing something out of the 2008 drought year, convinced the president to break from his principle of linkage - the basis of his road map - and skip to the final stage, the final status framework. This is a concession to Palestinian demands, and a further reversal for the Israeli position since Yasser Arafat opened fire in September 2000 and frightened Israel with the possibility that he might declare an independent state unilaterally (the "Magic Melody" scenario). » Read more

Diplomat: U.s. Firmly Opposes All W. Bank, E. J'lem Construction ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Barak Ravid - January 15, 2008 - 6:03pm The United States clarified to Israel during U.S. President George Bush's visit this week that it disapproves of all building in East Jerusalem and the West Bank - including in the large settlement blocs, a senior Western diplomat said Tuesday. The diplomat added that Israel and the U.S. differ on their interpretation of the letter President Bush sent to former prime minister Ariel Sharon in April, 2004. » Read more

Peace Now ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Arab News (Editorial) January 15, 2008 - 6:00pm Our region is not short of bloodshed and instability. Iraq, Lebanon, the occupied Palestinian territories and Afghanistan are all scenes of past and present conflicts where largely innocent blood has flowed in plenty. We do not need yet another dangerous conflict. » Read more

America Must Listen To Its Friends ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Gulf News (Editorial) January 15, 2008 - 5:59pm America has to learn to listen to its friends in the Middle East, and should stop lecturing them from a prepared script. George W. Bush's historic visit to the region is the first time a sitting US president has come to the UAE, and it has given him a tremendous opportunity to hear from the leaders and the people of the region how to tackle the region's serious issues. » Read more

Let's Not Forget The Hardship In Palestinian Areas ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Daily Star by Douglas Alexander - (Commentary) January 15, 2008 - 5:59pm Politics isn't just about words and ideas; it has to be about action. The recently held Palestinian donors' conference in Paris was a day when the international community collectively put its money where its mouth is and committed the funds which are desperately needed if the Palestinians are to rebuild their economy and take further strides down the road to peace. » Read more

Israeli Troops Kill Hamas Chief's Son ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Times by James Hider - January 15, 2008 - 5:57pm Israeli forces killed 17 Palestinians in an intense battle today, including the son of Mahmoud Zahar, the hardline leader of Hamas. A Palestinian sniper also shot dead a volunteer from Ecuador who was working on a communal farm near the volatile coastal territory. The latest clashes were the most intense since the recent visit by President Bush to push Israel and the Palestinians towards renewed peace talks, and threatened to undermine negotiations. » Read more

Bush Urges More Democracy In Middle East ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Speigel International by Bernhard Zand - January 15, 2008 - 5:56pm He could have held his great Middle East speech in Iraq, the country that he freed from tyranny. Or in the Palestinian Territories, where voters headed to the ballot boxes en masse two years ago. He could even have delivered his comments in Lebanon, where the Cedar Revolution three years ago seemed to bring his dream of a democratic Middle East within reach. » Read more

Bush Seeks Saudi Support For Fragile Middle East Peace Talks ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Guardian by Ian Black - January 15, 2008 - 5:55pm President George Bush was last night working to persuade Saudi Arabia to maintain its support for a revived, but fragile, Israeli-Palestinian peace process and to confront Iran across the Middle East. Arriving in Riyadh on the penultimate stage of his regional tour, Bush went into talks with King Abdullah as the administration prepared to notify Congress of a $20bn (£10.2bn) arms package for the Saudis - satellite-guided weaponry and other high-tech munitions - highlighting the oil-rich kingdom's privileged relationship with Washington. » Read more